Contributed Photo
The scene on Front Street Saturday night.
Three people were found shot, two of them fatally, in Fair Haven Saturday night.
The shootings took place at a Front Street condo complex at a unit that neighbors said has become a drug-dealing spot. They’ve told the cops that. They’ve told their landlord that. However, it was not known Sunday whether the dispute leading to the shootings had to do with drugs.
“Police arrived quite fast” after five shots rang out in the dark, one condo neighbor reported. “There were quite a few characters that definitely were not from here, and they all looked nervous and were on their cell phones” at the scene immediately following the gunshots.
The third shooting victim was expected to survive.
Police spokesman Officer Joe Avery released the following statement:
New Haven – On January 29, 2011, at approximately 9:30pm, NHPD Patrol Officers responded to 24 Front Street and 95 Poplar Street, respectively, relevant to a report of a triple shooting. Upon arrival at 24 Front Street, officers located two apparent shooting victims; Michael Fernandez (DOB 6/17/78) and Marquis Sumler (DOB 10/25/85). Both victims were suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest and were removed from the scene to area hospitals. Shortly thereafter, both victims died from the aforementioned injuries. Both Fernandez and Sumler were New Haven residents.
Upon arrival at 95 Poplar Street, officers located a third shooting victim identified as Samuel Maebry (DOB 3/5/78) of New Haven. Maebry was suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen and leg. Maebry, who refused to provide any information to police, was also removed from the scene to an area hospital where he is expected to make a full recovery. Detectives from the NHPD Major Crimes Unit responded and initiated a homicide investigation.
MCU detectives have determined that all three victims were shot inside 24 Front Street as the result of an ongoing dispute, and the victims seem to be specific. Since the inception of the investigation, detectives have made significant investigative progress. However, many details are being withheld at this time, as the investigation is continuing.
The residence located at 24 Front Street is characterized by redundant drug dealing and habitual drug use. The location has been the target of previous drug investigations by the NHPD Tactical Narcotics Unit.