Despite inital rumors, the 21-year-old city woman fatally shot in Dwight-Kensington Wednesday was “not a random individual caught in the crossfire,” said Police Chief Cisco Ortiz Thursday (pictured) at a press conference. Police said Kendraya Glasper was shot in the chest by a man who was just plain “reckless” in handling a big, expensive gun.
At first, “folks involved in the incident misled police” into thinking Glasper had been caught by a stray bullet. Then the story changed. Police have charged a 22-year-old city man with manslaughter for setting off the gun, apparently unintentionally. Here’s what police now think happened, according to Ortiz:
Glasper drove up with a female passenger to visit some friends around 8 p.m. Wednesday at 14 Gilbert St. Her friend got out of the car, and a 22-year-old man came over to talk to her while she sat in the driver’s seat. They had a “conversation,” not necessarily unfriendly. He pulled out his .357-caliber revolver (an “impressive gun —‚Äù not one they usually carry,” said Sgt. Andrew Muro). The gun went off and shot Glasper in the chest. She was sent to Yale-New Haven Hospital and did not survive.
“He had no intent to shoot or kill her,” said Ortiz. He didn’t have a big criminal portfolio. But he did have a “cavalier attitude of carrying weapons.” Police charged the man with manslaughter, carrying a pistol without a permit, first-degree reckless endangerment and unlawful discharge. Detectives are still interviewing other parties, including those who seem to have lied to “cover up” the incident. “There may be other arrests,” said Ortiz.