Shooting Arrest Made; Covid Sidelines 21 Cops

City police arrested a 22-year-old man suspected of shooting a 28-year-old local in the head at a Long Wharf gas station three days ago, among nearly half-a-dozen other local crimes recently solved.

That’s happening at a time when the cops are more stretched than ever: 21 officers are currently off duty because of Covid-19, including 11 who have recently tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Police Chief Otoniel Reyes gave those updates Monday afternoon during a virtual press conference held online via Zoom and YouTube Live.

Joined by Mayor Justin Elicker, Assistant Chiefs Renee Dominguez, Karl Jacobson, and Herb Sharpe, and other local, state, and federal law enforcement officials, Reyes described examples of police work paying off amidst what he called a ​“banner year” of violent crime across the city and the country.

“We’ve weathered quite a storm this year,” Reyes said about the pandemic, mass protests against police brutality, and a sharp increase in shootings, homicides, and other violent crime. ​“It’s tested our resolve.”

When asked about the many crimes that remain unsolved notwithstanding Monday’s announcement, Reyes said, ​“The reality is, sometimes it takes year before we’re able to find resolution for families.”

“We will not forget about their cases,” he continued. ​“We will continue working on their cases. We never forget about these cases. And we don’t give up on cases.”

The cases that Reyes and Jacobson provided updates on Monday included:

• The arrest of a 22-year-old New Havener suspected of shooting a 28-year-old man on Dec. 4 at around 3:30 a.m. at 200 Sargent Dr. on Long Wharf. Reyes said officers responded to multiple 911 calls of a person shot in front of a gas station at that address. They found an unresponsive gunshot victim in the driver’s seat of a SUV. The 28-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound to the head was transported by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he received emergency treatment. ​“He did survive his injuries,” Reyes said, ​“though he still remains in critical but stable condition.”

“Within hours,” Reyes said, city police were able to arrest a suspect who was ​“involved in gunfire with other individuals in that area.” They’ve charged him with assault in the first degree, reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a weapon in a vehicle.

• Police have secured an arrest warrant for a New Haven resident suspected of being involved in an attempted armed robbery of the Regal Inn at 1605 Whalley Ave. on Oct. 7, 2019. That day, police responded to a report of gunshots fired at the Whalley Avenue address. A 35-year-old man was subsequently treated at the hospital for gunshot wounds, and survived his injuries. Reyes said police are ​“actively looking” for the suspect, and expect to have in custody soon. He will be charged with assault in the first degree, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal use of a firearm.

• Police have secured an arrest warrant for a 28-year-old New Haven resident suspected of being involved in a nonfatal shooting at 577 Orchard St. on June 27, 2019. That incident left another 28-year-old New Havener with gunshot wounds and treated at the hospital. ​“The investigation has spanned over a year,” Reyes said. He said the department was able to secure a warrant for an individual who is ​“well known to us,” and is currently incarcerated. He will be charged with criminal assault in the first degree, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal use of a firearm.

• Police have secured an arrest warrant related to a shooting homicide on Munson Street from earlier this year. He said that police officials are currently speaking with the family members of the deceased. ​“That warrant was signed hours ago,” he said. Police expect to make an arrest, and plan to hold a press conference with the family later this week.

• Jacobson said that the local department worked with state and federal prosecutors to get grand jury indictments on Nov. 9 for two New Haveners, one West Haven residents, one Hamden resident, and one East Haven resident suspected of being involved in the distribution of cocaine, heroin, and crack in Newhallville.

“Make no bones about it, these individuals are directly connected to violence in the city,” Reyes said. ​“They are driving the violence, and are connected to the violence.”

21 Officers Out Due To Covid

When asked about how the recent surge in Covid cases across the city has affected the police department, Reyes said, ​“The recent spike has impacted us just like it’s impacted the broader community. We did have a spike.”

Rodriguez said that 21 officers are currently off duty because of Covid-19, including 11 who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus and 10 more who have been exposed to someone who tested positive.

She said that the department has had a total of 37 positive cases among officers since the start of the pandemic.

“Since the spike, we have gone back to a more modified response with the public,” Reyes said, including making phone calls whenever possible so as to limit in-person interactions. ​“We are focusing on engaging all the measures necessary” to protect officers and the public, he said, including requiring social distancing and mask wearing.

When an officer tests positive for Covid, Dominguez said, ​“We do a thorough contact trace” to see who they’ve been in contact with and ​“we put out on quarantine for the appropriate time.” That means officers are out for two weeks from when they test positive.

She said that roughly half of the officers currently out for Covid-related reasons were likely exposed or contracted the virus at work.

Reyes also noted that the department has seen three veteran detectives retire this month. ​“It’s a big hit to the department,” he said. He said the department currently has cadets in the academy who are expected to graduate in January, ​“and we’re going to be recruiting” starting early next year.

“Right now, we’re working on filling the ranks.”

As of Oct. 31, according to the city’s latest monthly financial report, the department has 347 positions filled out of its budgeted force of 406. That includes 242 officer positions filled out of a budgeted staff of 266.

As usual, the department is also losing officers to end-of-year-retirements. Five have put in for retirement so far, to take effect later this month: Office David Acosta, Detective Kristine Cuddy, Officer Todd Kelly, Detective Omaida Nieves, and Officer Francisco Ortiz. Three others have put in their resignations: Officers Patrick Bengtson, Trent Dillon, and Paul Mandel.