Someone shot and killed a 31-year-old New Havener in the early afternoon Monday near Chapel Street and Ellsworth Avenue.
That fatal shooting marked the city’s 13th homicide of the year so far, and New Haven’s fifth shooting death in roughly two weeks.
Police Chief Karl Jacobson said during a Monday afternoon press conference recorded by WTNH that officers responded at around 1:46 p.m. to a 911 call about shots fired “in front of the stores” near Chapel and Ellsworth.
They found a victim who had been shot twice. The man, whom police have not yet identified by name, was transported to the hospital, where he died of his injuries.
“We believe this is a targeted situation,” Jacobson said. “It appears to be one shooter” who ran up to the victim and fired. “There was also some drugs and drug equipment in the area, on the scene. We believe it might have something to do with narcotics.”
Jacobson and Mayor Justin Elicker said that the city’s five most recent homicides — the Aug. 17 shooting death of 18-year-old Dillon Cornelius on College Street, the Aug. 18 shooting death of 40-year-old Dennis Atkinson on Ferry Street, the Aug. 25 shooting deaths of 26-year-old Daiquan Hyman and 32-year-old Ernest Williams on Dickerman Street, and Monday’s shooting death of the 31-year-old New Haven man — appear to be unrelated.
Jacobson said that police are making “extremely good progress” on their investigations into those first four homicides. “We’re asking anybody to come forward” who may have information on what happened in regards to Monday’s most recent homicide.