The state Division of Criminal Justice made that announcement Tuesday morning in two press releases regarding Eaton’s arrest and State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin’s investigation into the April 16 shooting.
The releases represent the culmination of <a href=“https://www.newhavenindependen…”>a months-long investigation by Griffin’s office</a> into the officer-involved shooting, in which <a href=“https://www.newhavenindependen…”>Eaton and Yale Police Department Officer Terrance Pollock fired a total of 16 bullets at the couple, Paul Witherspoon and Stephanie Washington</a>, in the early hours of April 16 on Argyle Street near Dixwell Avenue.
Eaton, 29, who fired 13 of those shots, including the ones that struck and injured Washington and sent her to the hospital, has been charged with one felony count of first-degree assault and two misdemeanor accounts of first-degree reckless endangerment. He has been released on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court on Oct. 28.
Pollock, who fired three of those shots, all in response to Eaton’s initial blasts and none of which injured anyone involved, has not been arrested or charged.
“Even if an argument can be made that the initial shot fired at Witherspoon was reasonable because Officer Eaton believed that Witherspoon held something in his hand,” Griffin wrote in his recommendation that Eaton be arrested, “it was not objectively reasonable for Officer Eaton to continue to move around the red Honda Civic while firing his weapon into the passenger compartment — particularly in light of the fact that, by his own admission, Officer Eaton was aware of Washington’s presence.”
“Under circumstances evincing an extreme indifference to human life,” Griffin continued, “he recklessly engaged in conduct which created a risk of death, and thereby caused serious physical injury to Washington. Additionally, the reckless manner in which the shots were discharged placed those in the immediate vicinity, including Paul Witherspoon and Officer Pollock, at risk for serious physical injury.”
I am glad the gas station clerk reported the robbery, but I wish there had been no mention of a gun, though I suspect it was an honest mistake on the part of the clerk. If the incident had been reported as a stong-arm robbery, instead of an armed robbery, the Hamden officer likely would have had a completely different mindset going into the situation.
I wish the operator of the Honda had kept both hands visible while he exited the vehicle because I believe he was trying earnestly to comply with the officer's commands.
I wish the Hamden officer had hesitated more before opening fire because he would have seen the Honda driver had nothing in his hands, but I have trouble judging the officer because I have never been put in a situation like that. I wish the officer hadn't continued firing as he moved around the back of the car, but again I have difficulty judging him because he perceived that the driver was returning fire even though it turned out that it was actually the Yale officer returning fire.
I wish the Honda driver hadn't attempted to rob the newspaper delivery person because the clerk never would have called the cops, the clerk never would have mistakenly reported the robber was armed, the cops never would have responded a call of an armed robbery, and none of this would have happened. I cannot think of a justifiable excuse for why the Honda driver attempted to rob someone. Did he perceive the newspaper delivery person as weaker and more vulnerable than himself? Was he starving and wanted money to buy food? Was he trying to show off for his girlfriend? I can't think of a good reason for his choice.
With my understanding of the available information, this situation seems like a horrible tragedy plagued by bad information, poor choices, and unfortunate circumstances that was all initiated by an individual's choice to attempt to rob a newspaper delivery person at a gas station at 4:00am. Lastly, I hope the victim is rightly compensated for her suffering.