A 28-year-old New Haven man was shot in the leg on Valley Street late Friday morning.
And, in a separate incident, police arrested a 21-year-old Hamden man for an alleged hit-and-run on Whalley Avenue that took place just after midnight.
Police spokesperson Capt. Anthony Duff issued those updates in various email press releases sent out Friday morning and afternoon.
“New Haven Police are on the scene of a shooting,” Duff wrote just before noon. “A gunshot victim has been located in the 200 block of Valley Street near West Hills Road.”
At 2:38 p.m., Duff followed up with, “The gunshot victim is a 28 year old New Haven man (not 18 as thought on scene). He was shot in the leg and abdomen and is hospitalized in critical but stable condition
“Anyone with information is asked to call the New Haven Police Department Detective Bureau at 203 – 946-6304. Callers may remain anonymous.”
In a separate email sent out at 10:05 a.m., Duff wrote about a 21-year-old Hamden man who has been arrested and is being held on $75,000 bail for allegedly striking a bicyclist with his car at 12:19 a.m. at the intersection of Whalley Avenue and Sherman Avenue.
“Following a police pursuit of the offending vehicle,” Duff wrote, “NHPD arrested [the] motor vehicle operator”. A 22-year-old West Haven woman and a 24-year-old New Haven man were also in the car at the time of the alleged hit-and-run.
“The bicyclist left the scene on scene on foot prior to arrival of emergency medical responders,” Duff wrote. “New Haven Police are urging the bicyclist to come forward and seek medical treatment.
“Witnesses who have not spoken to police are urged to call the New Haven Police Department at 203 – 946-6316.”
Duff sent an update later in the morning that the 21-year-old motor vehicle operator has been charged with having a weapon in a motor vehicle, because a taser gun was found on his person; carrying a dangerous weapon; interfering with a police officer; driving while under the influence; evading responsiblity; engaging police in pursuit; reckless driving; and an additional motor vehicle violation.
Duff pointed out that this is the second hit-and-run in two weeks involving a driver allegedly under the influence of alcohol crashed. Last week, an East Haven woman hit and killed Common Ground high school student Christopher Franco while he and a teenage passenger were riding on a scooter across the Tomlinson Bridge.
At 3:58 p.m., Duff sent out another update about the hit and run.
Below is Duff’s full press release, with the name of the suspect withheld, per the policy of the Independent not to name suspects who are not public figures, do not pose an immediate threat to the public, and have not yet been convicted of an alleged crime:
New Haven Police continue the investigation of the overnight motor vehicle accident. At 12:19 a.m., a New Haven police officer was parked in a service station parking lot when he witnessed the motor vehicle accident at Whalley Avenue and Sherman Avenue. The officer notified police dispatch, activated his vehicle’s emergency lights and siren, and pursued the offending vehicle. Emergency medical responders were dispatched to the scene.
From Whalley Avenue, the pursuit travelled to Winthrop Avenue to Crescent Street before eventually making its way around to Osborn Avenue where it ended near Whalley Avenue. Additional arriving officers conducted a felony traffic stop and the three occupants of the vehicle were detained safely and without further incident.
NHPD officers seized a taser type stun gun operator [Name] was carrying in his pants pocket. [Name] told officers he had in fact struck a bicyclist. The other two occupants of the vehicle told officers they witnessed [name] strike the bicyclist. [Name] and the two occupants told officers [Name] was travelling with a green light in his favor.
When tested on scene, operator [Name] failed to meet the standards of a standardized field sobriety test. Officers placed [Name] under arrest and transported him to the NHPD detention facility for an additional sobriety test.
At the crash scene intersection of Whalley and Sherman avenues, officer located the front license plate from [Name]‘s vehicle. Officers also found the damaged bicycle but no bicyclist.
Witnesses described the bicyclist as an injured adult black male who suffered a head laceration. Two males were seen helping the injured male walk north on Sherman Avenue. Officers canvassed the neighborhood and notified the local hospitals of the alert for the unknown male with a head injury.
New Haven Police continue to urge the bicyclist to come forward and seek medical treatment. Anyone with information is asked to call the New Haven Police Department at 203 – 946-6316.
At court this afternoon, [Name] is listed as being held on a $50,000 bond with a next court date of Friday, August 9, 2019.