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Waterbury officer shot by fellow officer recovering at home

Police were on Marley Place Tuesday because they were trying to help New Britain Police track down a suspect.

Waterbury Police and Connecticut State Police continue to investigate a Tuesday afternoon stolen car stakeout that resulted in one officer being shot by another, while a third officer sustained a serious concussion.

Home surveillance camera video shows two cars coming down Waterbury's Marley Place toward police, who were on a stolen vehicle stake out there after a tip.

"Those vehicles crashed into several police cars that were located on Marley Place," said Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo. 

Surveillance video also shows the Waterbury officer, who was shot, go down to the ground.

RELATED: Chief: Waterbury officer shot by another officer during stolen car investigation; 4 suspects in custody

"One of those rounds struck Officer Charles Mauriello in the vest in his chest," Spagnolo said.  

Thankfully, he is recuperating at home. He was shot by fellow officer Garrett Pagel. And there were more shots fired.

"That’s when I saw the smoke and I dropped to the floor," said a resident of Marley Place. "The adrenaline rush and I grabbed my baby. We were all screaming."

That frightened woman showed FOX61 where a bullet penetrated her living room wall and ended up hitting the couch she usually sits on with her baby boy. But minutes before, she moved.

"I chose to sit on the other seat (couch) across from the window so I could see him in his playpen sleeping," she said. 

Credit: Waterbury PD
Robert Harrison

Police were on Marley Place because they were trying to help New Britain Police track down 19-year-old Robert Harrison, of Waterbury, who was wanted for an alleged kidnapping and gun charges in New Britain Monday night.

"As the officers were conducting that surveillance, they saw a Robert Harrison walk up Marley Place toward that stolen motor vehicle," Spagnolo said.

They took Harrison into custody just before the other two stolen vehicles came charging down the hill at them. One of the drivers - a juvenile.

"This is a prolific car thief," Spagnolo said of the juvenile. "He has four pending auto theft arrests for 2020 here and only in the Waterbury Police Department."

Officer Pagel, who shot officer Mauriello, is now on administrative duty. Officer Marc Sharoh sustained a serious concussion when one of the suspect vehicles rammed his cruiser. 

Presently, Harrison is only charged in Waterbury with interfering with the police. However, Chief Spagnolo says Harrison is suspected in numerous Waterbury shootings over the past two weeks.

RELATED: Police investigating shootings at Waterbury apartment complex

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