BOLTON — More than a year after a man was shot and killed by two police officers, a state investigation into the case has cleared the officers and ruled their actions justified.
On August 14, 2015, Christopher T. Anderson, 53, was shot by two officers following a bank robbery and police chase. He died two days later from his injuries.
On December 12, 2016, the state’s attorney for the judicial district of New London completed the investigation into the use of force and ruled that “the use of deadly force was appropriate.”
Just after 3 p.m. on August 14, 2015, South Windsor and Manchester police officers responded to a bank robbery at the First Niagara Bank on Buckland Road in South Windsor. Police say Anderson handed the teller a threatening note demanding money, and stole a large sum before fleeing.
Police attempted to stop the suspect’s Toyota Matrix as he fled, but he wouldn’t stop.
A car chase ensued through South Windsor and Manchester, onto Route 384/Route 6, and all the way to the intersection of Route 44 in Bolton. At that point, the suspect’s car hit the right side of the road on a curve and became disabled. As police approached he again tried to flee, but only drove a short distance before stopping.
Police say Anderson got out of his car holding a utility razor knife in his hand, and as the officers drew their weapons he allegedly said, “Shoot me, shoot me.”
The officers on the scene demanded he put the knife down, but when he didn’t and kept approaching Manchester Police Officer Jason Wagner used his duty Taser. It was ineffective and Anderson pulled the prongs out and kept approaching the officers with the knife in hand.
At that point, State Police Trooper Brian Contenta and Manchester Police Officer Layau Eulizier fired their duty weapons, hitting him four times.
The pursuit and subsequent interaction that led to the shooting were caught on two police dash cameras.
Anderson was taken in handcuffs to the hospital, and died a few days later.
After the shooting, it was revealed that on August 14, 2015, Conteta had been a trooper for five years, while Eulizier had worked with the Manchester Police Department for one year. Wagner had worked in Manchester for 13 years.
It was also learned that Anderson was a long-time criminal–he was convicted of bank robbery four times in 2006.
According to his arrest warrant, Anderson robbed two banks in Woodbridge three times — in June, July and September of 2006. Then in October he robbed the Bank of Southern Connecticut in New Haven, and when police found him a SWAT operation ensued. He was shot by officers because they believed he had a gun on him.
He was convicted of all four of those robberies and spent seven years in prison, and was to be on probation for five years, though he died three years into his probation.
And just a week before the deadly encounter in 2015, Anderson is suspected of having robbed a bank in West Hartford.
