nothin Market Owner: “This Is The Best Neighborhood” | New Haven Independent

Market Owner: This Is The Best Neighborhood”

The owner of a market in the Hill was closing up shop around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday when a masked robber threatened him at gunpoint.

Thus began a series of events that ended with the alleged robber being shot to death.

It began as the owner was closing down Congress Mini-Market at 750 Congress Ave.

The owner, who is of Puerto Rican heritage and who declined to be named, told the Independent Wednesday that the masked robber displayed a gun, threatened him, then fled because a crowd had gathered.

The owner called the police. They came to take a report.

As the police were at the market, the owner got a call from the nearby Nino’s Mini-Market, which he also owns. His brother was working at Nino’s, at 659 Washington Ave. He called the owner to report that a masked gunman had just come to rob him. The brother reported that he had shot the gunman, according to police reports.

Police went to Nino’s, where they found the alleged robber, shot in the chest. The man — as yet unidentified — was taken by ambulance to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:19 a.m., according to police spokesman Officer David Hartman. The man was later identified as Christian Munoz, who was 19 years old.

Detectives are interviewing the shooter. We’re not charging him” as of now, Assistant Police Chief Archie Generoso said Wednesday morning. He said the alleged robber was carrying a rifle.

Back at Congress Mini-Mart around 10:15 a.m., the owner waited for police to return for further questioning as he served customers. He said he has had the two stores for only a month and a half. Nino’s, a crime scene, remained closed.

Despite these events, the owner said he doesn’t believe the area has excessive crime.

I grew up here. I have nothing bad to say about it,” he said. My neighbors love the store. This is the best neighborhood in New Haven.”

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