WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — A man accused of pistol-whipping someone during a confrontation in West Hartford last month is back in Connecticut after being found and taken into FBI custody in Los Angeles.
West Hartford police took Edwin Franqui, 27, of Hartford, into their custody last week after he was in FBI custody in Lost Angeles for about a month.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 10, West Hartford police responded to South Main St. for a report of a person who was pistol-whipped in the head. First responders found the victim, who suffered a life-threatening injury. They were taken to an area hospital for treatment and evaluation.
The victim told police they were walking through a parking lot on Farmington Ave. and exited onto South Main St. when they saw a vehicle driving erratically. The vehicle was trying to exit the parking lot and nearly struck the group the victim was walking with, according to police.
During a confrontation, Franqui got out of the vehicle, took out a handgun and hit the victim on the top of their head. The vehicle and occupants then left the area. It is not clear how many people were in the car with Franqui and how many people were walking with the victim.
The FBI found Franqui at the Los Angeles International Airport on Sept. 13 and was held in their custody. West Hartford police took Franqui into their custody on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Upon returning to Connecticut, Franqui was arrested and charged with assault with a firearm, breach of peace, and reckless driving. He was held on a $5 million bond and remains in custody.
Franqui is also charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder and other charges for the 2020 Hartford homicide of Junny Lara-Velazquez, 19.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact West Hartford police at 860-570-8969 or whpdtips@westhartfordct.gov.
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