A 19-year-old New Havener named Jovani Ortiz died on Monday from injuries he sustained after getting shot Sunday night on Downes Street in the Hill.
According to email press releases sent out by New Haven Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Cherelle Carr on Sunday and Monday, city police received a ShotSpotter alert at around 8:21 p.m. Sunday, followed by a report of a gunshot victim in the area of Downes Street between Columbus Avenue and Congress Avenue.
Responding officers found a 19-year-old male, later identified as Ortiz, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Fire and American Medical Response personnel arrived and rendered aid on scene. The victim was transported by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital on York Street, where he was pronounced dead on Monday.
“Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit and Bureau of Identification responded to the scene to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and search for surveillance footage. Ballistic evidence was found on scene,” Carr wrote.” It was reported that a vehicle fled from the scene after the gunshots [were] heard.”
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have information valuable to investigators to call detectives at 203 – 946-6304 or through the department’s anonymous tip-line at 866 – 888-TIPS (8477).
Ortiz’s shooting death marks the city’s 21st homicide of the year so far, and came less than a week after the city’s previously most recent homicide, when 29-year-old New Havener Shaquille Chazz Pearson was shot and killed at Grand Avenue and East Pearl Street last Tuesday afternoon.
Condolences to the family and friends. It's so sad. When will this stop. Whenever I see these articles it is the same thing. I can count on Heather giving her condolences and making a comment that brings tears to my eyes. I wish that people would just stop this violence. But it will never end. All I can hope for is that my family is not effected by this. I can just teach my kids the right way. My son is getting ready to drive. I am teaching him to watch out for certain things. It is sad. Just walking down a street. When are we going to say enough is enough. Take back our streets. It may be that our loved ones have to go. We may have to say they are doing bad things. But I know this won't happen. We'll just keep having these articles and commenting on who is at fault. I do the same thing. I hope and pray for everyone to be safe. (side note to Heather, your name was only brought up out of respect to you)