HARTFORD, Conn. — Hartford Police say arrests are forthcoming nearly two weeks after a shop owner was pistol whipped and critically injured a would-be robber.
Park Street is one of the Capital City’s most vibrant corridors. It has also been plagued with several weeks of violent incidents. Overnight Monday, a man in his 20s was rushed to the hospital after he was shot in the abdomen while driving an ATV in the 100 block, according to police.
In a separate incident, Hartford Police say the owner of Exquisite Pressure critically wounded a suspect after he was pistol whipped by would-be robbers when opening the store on the morning on June 13. Angel Sierra, president of the Spanish American Merchant Association and owner of Park Street's Hispanic Visions says neither incident should keep visitors away.
“It’s tough to control that. I don’t think it’s going to be happening as often as we think because everybody is doing well, and the police department is really helping us out and keeping an eye on the merchants,” Sierra said Monday.
If Park Street ever had a slogan, it was ‘El Pito,’ the whistle.
“If someone threw something in the garbage, hey pick it up and throw it in the garbage pail. Keep it clean,” Sierra said.
Park Street is a longstanding thoroughfare and ethnic specialty hub.
From bright facades to street art, it is cleaner and more vibrant than ever.
“You name it, we have it all,” Sierra added. “Not only the Hispanic but also a variety of different nationalities that are coming here. Eighty or ninety small businesses and each of them does very well.
“We get people from New Haven, Massachusetts, New London—they come here on the weekends. This place is very busy. “
The Spanish American Merchants Association, or SAMA, has worked with the city to help purchase surveillance cameras and attract new developments like the Hartford-hospital adjacent luxury apartment complex and Hartford Public Library’s Park Street newer Park Street branch—taking on even more programing with the main branch closed for renovations.
Detectives also frequenting this popular thoroughfare. Around 12:45 a.m. Monday, a man in his 20s was shot in the abdomen while driving an ATV in the 100 block.
Nearly two weeks ago, the owner of Exquisite Pressure was pistol whipped by would-be robbers, one of which he critically wounded. On Monday, police said arrests are forthcoming in that incident and a suspect’s condition has been upgraded to stable.
State funding has supported new manufacturing and computer training programs on Park Street but Hartford state Rep. Maryam Khan (D) says more needs to be done.
“Until people have good education, good housing, good resources and good programming in the area I think it’s very tough to comment on, how do we reduce violence. I think a big piece to reducing any kinds of violence is investing in our communities,” she said.
Angel Sierra owns Hispanic Vision and says he plans to be working and looking out for Park Street for as long as he can.
Adding, “It should not be something that would scare people from coming here and shop. It’s just isolated incidents.
Hartford police say the man shot overnight Monday in critical but stable condition as of Monday evening.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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