Knock, Knock;
Slam! No One’s Home

In the dark of night, the SWAT team assembled. They thought the gun-wielding man was on the other side of the door. They went in — and found the apartment empty.

Such was the outcome of a tense scene on Platt Street across from Troup School early Tuesday.

The trouble actually started Monday night, around 8, according to top Dwight neighborhood cop Lt. Ray Hassett.

A man living in a multi-family house there put a gun to the head of another man living there, Hassett said. The two have been involved in an ongoing dispute. The victim had recently obtained a succession of restraining orders against the gunman, according to Hassett.

The victim had recently moved to renew the restraining order. The gunman threatened Monday night to kill the victim if he goes through with it, Hassett said.

The victim made it out of the house and called the cops, Hassett said.

But then it took a while for the cops to find the victim to interview him. They found him at the Hospital of St. Raphael, where he had gone for treatment of an anxiety-fueled asthma problem.

The police then went to the apartment on Platt Street. They knocked on the door. No one opened. But they had reason to believe someone was inside. They worried that the gunmen was there, putting others at risk.

So they assembled the SWAT team and the hostage negotiation squad. They blocked off the street. They went in the apartment — which turned out to be empty, Hassett said. They checked other apartments. No sign of the gunman.

Police continue to look for him.

There was no use of chemical agents or concussion grenades” in the SWAT raid police Officer David Hartman noted in a press release.

In other police news, according to Hartman:

A Key” Tip: Meanwhile, across town at the Key Club on St. John Street, according to Hartman, an exotic dancer had a tip for the cops: A man had been stopping cars as they drove down the street, and asking people if they’d like to buy cocaine.”

The dancer told that tale at 2 a.m. Tuesday to Officer Shafiq Abdussabur, who was assigned to the club on extra duty. Someone else told Abdussabur the same thing. He and Officer Phil McKnight caught up with the man, who’s 30. He had cocaine and $1,000 on him, according to Hartman. The cops charged him with drug possession with intent to sell. And disorderly conduct.

Man Stabbed: Two rival groups of Hill young people got in a fight at Rosette and Morris Streets around 8:20 p.m. Monday. People heard gunfire. Someone reported an assault.

Police searched the area. At Washington Avenue and West Street they found a 19-year-old man with three superficial stab wounds,” according to Hartman. His account of his assault was incongruous. His story changed and differed from the accounts of witnesses. He told officers he’d been walking to a Bodega on Lamberton Street, when he realized he didn’t have money for a purchase, so he walked around. He said he felt three stings’ on his back, never turned to see who’d been behind him, and started running. His account had him traversing an area bordered by a dozen, or so, city blocks.”

The victim is on probation on drug and gun charges; and had been arrested for probation violation. He was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment — where cops guarded him before he was to appear before a judge.

Blind Man Robbed: Muggers twice robbed a blind man in Newhallville recently, according to top neighborhood cop Sgt. Kenny Howell. In the first case some young people set on him while he withdrew money from an ATM. In the second, they stopped him on the street, reached in his pocket, and Tased him. The cops found suspects they thought did the crimes. But, alas, because the man is blind and couldn’t identify them, Howell said.

Gun Buy-Back: Police are holding another gun buy-back Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police academy at 710 Sherman Parkway. Click here for details.

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