HARTFORD, Conn. — A Manchester man who injured multiple teenagers who were playing “Manhunt” on Sept. 1, 2022, was sentenced to 27 months in prison on Tuesday in Hartford, according to a release from the state’s Division of Criminal Justice.
Jaime Garcia, 46, shot a teenager and hit another teen with his vehicle on that evening in September 2022. He pleaded guilty in Hartford Superior Court on April 29 to charges of first-degree assault and second-degree assault, prosecutors said.
RELATED: Suspect is dead after shootings near Las Vegas leave 5 people dead, teen injured, police say
According to prosecutors, Manchester police received a report of a shooting on Sept. 1, 2022, and were met by a group of teenagers; one was suffering from a gunshot wound. The teenagers said they were running through a neighborhood playing “Manhunt," a game in which a single person or small group hides while everyone else looks for them.
During the game, Garcia exited his home, chased one of the youths down the street, pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots in the residential neighborhood, striking one of the teens, prosecutors said. Garcia then returned to his home, got in his vehicle and searched for the youths playing the game.
Prosecutors said that when Garcia spotted a teenager on the sidewalk, he pulled up in his vehicle, showed the youth a gun and proceeded to chase and strike the individual with the vehicle.
On Tuesday, Garcia was sentenced to 10 years in prison, execution suspended after 27 months served, and three years of probation.
In the release, State’s Attorney Sharmese Walcott said the mothers of the victims courageously faced Garcia, who harmed their children. Walcott said the mothers spoke from the heart at sentencing before an open courtroom and the court.
RELATED: CT officials react to U.S. Surgeon General declaring gun violence as a public health crisis
“Those teens, 15 and 16 years old, were playing a game when they were shot and chased down by an adult in a vehicle with a firearm. The defendant’s actions were dangerous not only to the youth playing in the neighborhood that night, but also to every person outside that night in the neighborhood.”
Walcott continued to say that Garcia’s criminal actions have had an impact on relations and safety in the community.
“It has eroded the thread of trust that often runs through a neighborhood,” Walcott said, in the release. “The victims’ presence at today’s hearing was meaningful, and I want to take this time to acknowledge their comments and presence at every step of the process.”
----
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@fox61.com
----
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Stream Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
