WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — One person is dead following an officer-involved shooting Tuesday afternoon in the Elmwood section of West Hartford.
West Hartford officers were involved in an "active investigation" on New Britain Avenue near New Park Avenue around 5 p.m. Officials said that it was during the investigation a police officer fired their weapon and struck a person.
The person who was struck was given medical treatment at the scene and then rushed to an area hospital, where they were later pronounced dead from their injuries. They have not been identified at this time.
Authorities said the officer who fired the shots suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and evaluation and has been released.
Sources confirmed to FOX61 on Wednesday that the officer involved is K9 Officer AJ Teeter, who has since been released from the hospital.
Police have not provided additional details as to what led up to the shooting or why officers were called to the scene in the first place.
Sources told FOX61 that officers were in the area after the town-owned license plate reader system flagged a stolen vehicle.
Police Chief Vernon Riddick said officers followed the suspect car and attempted to bring it to a halt with stop sticks. When that failed, officers followed the car. The car crashed on South Street and New Britain and the suspects in the car fled.
Riddick said one suspect tried unsuccessfully to steal cars from Meineke and Pep Boys.
He got in an altercation with an employee before driving off in a car parked in a Town Fair Tire service bay. An officer had sent his K9 to control the suspect and was partially in the car when it took off. The officer fired his gun hitting the suspect and the car crashed into a pole.
The officer suffered a head and chest injury. He was hospitalized and has been released.
The other suspect, Lyle Solsbury, 47, of West Hartford, was taken into custody and charged with interfering with an officer, larceny of a motor vehicle, and conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle.
"Coming out of there just running into everything. Running into tires, people moving out of the way," said Juan Velez, who works next door at Auto Max and witnessed the incident.
Police said the Office of the Inspector General and state police are investigating the incident.
New Britain Avenue between New Park Avenue and Hillcrest Avenue was closed while officials investigated, but has since reopened.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Office of the Inspector General at (203) 806-1595.
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