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'My nephew was no monster' | Family of man killed in Hartford officer-involved shooting speaks out

"My nephew was somebody's father, my nephew was somebody's son, and he was my nephew."

HARTFORD, Conn. — The family of Shamar Ogman spoke out for the first time publicly with FOX61 soon after the 911 tapes were released by Ansonia-Milford State’s Attorney's Office. 

The tapes had revealed a bit more about what happened that night but according to family, there are still questions that remain. 

Hartford police had responded to reports of a gunman at 25 Gilman Street shortly before 9 p.m. on December 26th. When they got to the scene, police said they found an armed man, Ogman, with an assault rifle and a scope and a handgun with a flashing mounted to it.

Officers then followed Ogman into a back-parking lot on Gilman Street.

“After pleas to drop the firearms, an officer verbalized that the individual was pointing his weapon, and fired her weapon once, striking him,” police had said.

Angel Ogman-Hubbard, Ogman's aunt opened up about the shooting to FOX61. 

She said she was too emotional to watch the body cam footage or hear the 9-1-1 tapes. 

"What people have to understand I am watching, and I am living the last moments of nephew's life--so how can I watch? How can I hear?," said Ogman.

RELATED: State's Attorney releases 911 call, officer audio from night of deadly police shooting in Hartford

In recently released 911 tapes, you can hear the caller say to a dispatcher, "We got a child and stuff in the house and he is acting deranged... he is walking around with a gun in his hand." 

Then, you can hear the caller explaining that they tried to calm Ogman down by showing him the toys bought for his daughter, but after officers arrived on the scene, Ogman was already down the street with his girlfriend calling for no violence.

Listen to the tapes here.

In the interview with FOX61, reporter Brian Didlake asked Ogman-Hubbard if they knew more about what took place that night.

"We are still confused about that, but what I can say is my nephew was a non-confrontational person," said Ogman-Hubbard. She went on to say that due to the non-confrontational nature of Ogman, it's no surprise he walked away from the home.

She showed FOX61 a text message the night of his death which would be the last words she'll ever see again from her nephew.

 

Credit: FOX61

RELATED: Shamar Ogman's troubled past revealed as family mourns; deadly force investigation continues in Hartford.

"I feel like I wasn't there to be his lifesaver. Who knows if I would've answered the phone? 10 times out of 10 I would've just said, 'Okay Poobie just come to my house'," said Ogman-Hubbard.

She said she knows people may think negative thoughts about her nephew, but that he was getting his life back on track and although not diagnosed,  Angel says Ogman never was the same mentally spending some time in jail.

“Mental health did play a role with a lot of his stress factors on not understanding what was going on in his mind."

Ogman-Hubbard said she wishes officers would’ve taken more time to assess the situation, but now the family is left to mourn someone who says was taken away too soon.

"My nephew was no monster. My nephew was somebody's father, my nephew was somebody's son, and he was my nephew."

The family is looking for community support. 

A GoFundMe set up to help with funeral expenses and a separate GoFundMe from Ogman’s girlfriend has been set up for their child. 

Ansonia-Milford State’s Attorney’s Office with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police Eastern District Major Crime Squad is investigating the circumstances surrounding the police use of physical force.

 

 

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