STRATFORD -- Stratford police are still searching for the suspect they said robbed a local bar then shot a bartender Tuesday night.
News of the shooting, inside a bar named "BAR" at 2399 Main Street, has been the talk of the center of Stratford on Wednesday.
"I was actually stunned," said Diane Stackpole, who has worked at the nearby library for nearly 20 years.
In the two surveillance pictures released Wednesday morning by police, the suspect appears to be wearing different outfits. But, police said that's only because one of the pictures was generated by a thermal camera.
"During the incident, an unknown male walked into the bar, demanded money from the bartender. The bartender complied," said Stratford Police Capt. Frank Eannotti.
It was unusual then that the suspect still shot the bartender, who has been identified by friends, on a GoFundMe page, as Regi Woodard.
"Yeah. This is a first for me and I've been in this business for a little bit," said Eannotti.
Fortunately, Woodard is expected to survive, according to police.
"The bartender was shot in the abdomen," said Eannotti. "He was transported to Bridgeport Hospital, underwent surgery. He is in stable condition at this time."
A barber, whose business is called Barber, just opened his doors on Monday directly across the street from BAR.
"It is a little upsetting, especially since I just opened," said Jeffrey Acevedo, the owner of Barber: A Boutique Barber Shop. "But, you know, hopefully people can look past that and I will still get some new customers."
