BRIDGEPORT--Several months after a high-profile shooting that killed one and injured eight at an apartment complex in Bridgeport, police have made two arrests.
Savonnie McNeil, 37, died in the barrage of bullets and eight others were shot.
“For months, police officers and others have worked tirelessly to solve this heinous crime. Now we’re taking another step forward,” said Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch.
In the shooting, eight people, including McNeil, were shot while hanging out in the complex parking lot. The ninth victim, an elderly woman, was shot while in the shower in her second-floor apartment. The suspects fired more than 50 shots into the crowd, and continued to shoot towards the complex while running away on foot.
Jamal "Moo Moo" Hamilton, 24, and Kevan "Web" Bennett, 24, were arrested for the June 11 incident at the Trumbull Gardens Housing Project. They were both charged with one count of murder, eight counts of assault in the first degree and weapons charges.
Both suspects were already incarcerated on other charges, but bond for this crime was set at $1 million bond.
Hamilton, who grew up in Trumbull Gardens, was arrested on drug charges on four separate dates in June, including the day after the fatal shooting. He also has five years remaining on probation from previous charges, which date back to 2008.
Bennett also has a long criminal history, including convictions for aggravated assault and armed robbery in Georgia. Here in Connecticut, he had seven years remaining of probation when he was hit with this murder charge.
“I want to thank all of the officers involved for their great work,” said Police Chief Joseph Gaudett Jr. “I know there are those in the community who have been pushing for us to find justice in this case, but rest assured our officers have been putting in the time day-in-and-day-out since this tragic incident occurred. I’m proud of our department, and hope that kids and families across our city can sleep a little easier tonight.”
The investigation indicated that these were the two shooting suspects, but that other unarmed suspects were with them during the ambush on a group who was in the parking lot.
Finch said on the day of the shooting, "We are outraged at this violence. The community is outraged. Nearly everyone living on Trumbull Gardens is hard working, taking their kids to school."
One witness said that it was pure chaos, and she was lucky to be alive.
"They said 'reload.' They said 'make sure we kill everybody.' That’s what they said while my friend played dead on Vonnie's body," Rhonda Jones said. "She wasn’t dead. She just laid there."
The FBI Safe Streets Task Force, state's attorney's office and U.S. attorney's office all assisted in the investigation.
After the shooting the complex received several security upgrades: the city increased street patrols, cameras were installed at the housing project and a police substation was erected there as well.
The incident has be discussed during the current mayoral campaign by both Mayor Bill Finch, who is up for reelection, and his opponent, former Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim.
Hours after the shooting, George Lee Byers, the executive director of the Housing Authority, said he had just come back from Hartford, where he was campaigning for more money to improve safety throughout the city. He said the funds were especially needed in housing complexes like this, where there is not an over abundance of surveillance video readily available.
Public cooperation helped lead to Tuesday's arrests.
"Mr. Hamilton maintains his innocence," attorney Michael Riley, Hamilton's lawyer. "He's confidence when the evidence comes out it's going to establish he had nothing to do with the incident that happened at Trumbull Gardens."
"It took some brave citizens to come forward and we don't want some of the facts to lead people to know who they are," said Bridgeport Police Lt. Chris LaMaine.
There was one major reason the public came forward with information.
"We find that the public is more likely to cooperate with us when they know that the suspects are incarcerated," said Gaudett.
"Walking patrols, cameras and a substation have made a difference," said Finch, of the security upgrades to Trumbull Gardens.
“We’re trying to get out of here. We want to get out of here because of the problems,” said Nadine Arriaga, a resident, who has a 5-year-old daughter and 10 year old son. “I can't even come outside.”
There was another a shooting at the complex last night.
“When shootings happen, the police show up and they hang out a little bit, but then after that, when they leave, the same thing happens again,” says a frustrated Denise Gomez, who has lived in Trumbull Gardens for 10 years.
Police believe the June 11 shooting was gang related and involved retaliation. They say it's likely there will be additional arrests in this case.
