Kevan Bonilla.
(Updated at 8:19 p.m.) A 20-year-old Bridgeport man was shot and killed in Fair Haven Saturday morning, becoming the city’s 17th homicide victim so far this year.
On Saturday evening, city police identified the shooting victim as Kevan Bonilla.
According to city police spokesperson Scott Shumway, at around 4:10 a.m. Saturday, city police received a Shotspotter alert and multiple 911 calls regarding a person shot on Lombard Street between Ferry Street and Poplar Street.
Responding officers found Bonilla suffering from gunshot wounds.
American Medical Response transported him to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
A candlelight vigil took place for Bonilla at Saturday evening at Lombard and Poplar.
Bonilla traveled to numerous states in his teens to compete in boxing tournaments, and won many bouts. Click here to read a 2017 CT Post story about that, written when he was 16. The above video shows him in a “True Warriors” boxing bout held in New Jersey in 2018.
Police ask that any witnesses who have not yet spoken with the Police contact the New Haven Police Department Investigative Services Division at 203 – 946-6304. Callers may remain anonymous or submit tips anonymously by calling 1 – 866-888-TIPS(8477), or text “NHPD plus your message” to 274637 (CRIMES).
City spokesperson Kyle Buda first notified the public about the murder in a Saturday morning email press release from the mayor’s office.
“I was just on the scene, and this loss of life is heartbreaking,” Mayor Justin Elicker is quoted as saying in that initial press release.
Bonilla with one of his boxing trophies.
Bonilla’s death marks the 17th of the year so far in New Haven.
In January, Alfreda Youmans, 50, and Jeffrey Dotson, 42, were found dead by the police inside a Winthrop Avenue apartment, Jorge Osorio-Caballero, 32, was shot and killed in Fair Haven, Marquis Winfrey, 31, was shot and killed in Newhallville, and Joseph Vincent Mattei, 28, was shot and killed in the Hill. Someone shot Kevin Jiang, 26, to death in Goatville on Feb. 6. Angel Rodriguez, 21, was shot to death in Fair Haven in mid-February, his body dumped by the Mill River in East Rock. Dwaneia Alexandria Turner, 28, was shot to death in the Hill on March 16 during an argument with two other women.
On March 26, Alessia Mesquita was shot dead in Fair Haven. Then 20-year-old Mariyah Inthirath was killed Saturday, May 15, on Sheffield Avenue and Hopeton Jack was killed near Orchard and George on Tuesday, May 18. On May 19, Tashawn Brown was shot dead across from Edgewood Park. On May 26, 34-year-old Adrian Barwise was shot inside a Sherman Parkway house during an apparent argument over a game, according to police. Miguel Ramos, 37, was shot dead on Springside Avenue on June 6.
Richard Whitaker Jr. was shot to death on Columbus Avenue in the Hill on June 15 — after having watched a gunman shoot his brother dead in the neighborhood the previous August.
And on Wednesday, 22-year-old Ciera Jones died after being shot in the head on Truman Street several days earlier.