State Police Investigate Local Police Shooting Incident on I-84 E. Hartford

   On Saturday evening, February 2, 2008,,just after 6 p.m., there was a police shooting which resulted in the death of a suspect on I-84 eastbound in East Hartford in the area east of exit 58. Police Officers from both East Hartford Police Department and Hartford Police Department were involved in this shooting.

   At the request of the Chiefs of Police from both of these agencies (Hartford and East Hartford) and the State’s Attorney Office the State Police have assumed the investigation of this fatal shooting.

   This incident originated in the city of Hartford at approximately 5:48 p.m. when Hartford police officers were called to a local business to investigate a disturbance by a male brandishing a knife. As Hartford Police Officers were attempting to take this subject into custody he resisted arrest and assaulted the police officers. The suspect was able to flee the scene in a vehicle described as a SUV being pursued by Hartford Police.

   During the pursuit the suspect struck several Hartford Police Cruisers. The pursuit continued onto Route 2 eastbound and continued eastbound onto I84. An emergency broadcast went out from the Hartford Police Department advising other police agencies and requesting assistance from other police agencies as this situation continued.

   During the attempts to stop this suspect the lives of both the pursuing police officers and the motorists traveling on the streets of Hartford and the highways were being endangered by the recklessness and criminal actions of the suspect. On I-84 police officers twice attempted to “block-in’ the suspect’s vehicles with police cruisers in an effort to slow/stop the suspect vehicle. During both of these attempts the suspect rammed his vehicle into police cruisers as police officers were both occupying the cruiser and/or were outside their vehicles on foot attempting to take the subject into custody. Fearing for their lives and/or the lives of others several police officers utilized deadly force by discharging their service firearms at the suspect.

   State Police Detectives from the Central District Major Crime Squad responded to this scene to conduct the investigation of this police-shooting incident. The State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit also responded to assist the Major Crime Squad with the documentation of the multitude motor vehicle collisions that occurred during the pursuit.

   During this investigation State Police Detectives identified multiple crime scenes to include a long stretch of highway that forced the closure of highways and ramps of I-84 over night The highway was re opened about 5 a.m. 

   The identities of the local police officers involved in this shooting is being withheld at this time to allow officers to make family notification of this incident. 

   The identity of the deceased is also being withheld pending positive identification by State Police Detectives. The Office of the Chief State’s Medical Examiner to determine the manner and cause of death will conduct a post mortem examination.

   State Police are continuing this investigation.

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Lt. J. Paul Vance