MILFORD, Conn. — New details were revealed on what happened before 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane was killed by police in West Haven in January 2020 in day two of the trial for Connecticut State Place Trooper Brian North on Tuesday.
North has been charged with manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm in connection to Soulemane's death.
Prosecutors spent hours going through evidence found on scene in West Haven from the day Soulemane was killed. his family was watching in the front row of the courtroom.
Daniel Green, the Lyft driver for 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane on Jan. 15th, 2020, said he picked him up at an AT&T store on Main Avenue in Norwalk before making their way to a nearby gas station.
RELATED: Man killed by Connecticut state trooper was having mental health problems, witnesses testify
According to Green, he pulled over after Soulemane demanded to see his phone and hit him on the back of the head.
"I pulled out my pistol, and I told him to get out of my car," Green testified, saying that he was "100%" scared for his life.
Soulemane eventually got into the driver's seat, as seen in surveillance video captured at the gas station, and stole the car, heading south on Route 7 towards I-95, Green said.
Norwalk Police Officer Daniel Vazquez said police officers began following the stolen car "down the Rt. 7 connector" until they were told to call the chase off, assessing the risk to the public as greater than the need to stop Soulemane.
"Infractions, property crimes, including stolen motor vehicles, and non violent misdemeanors are not cause to engage in a pursuit, absent exigent circumstance," said Steve Samson, Commanding Officer at the Connecticut State Police Headquarters.
Shortly after, state troopers picked the chase back up near West Haven with information from dispatchers that the incident involving a potential carjacking, which is known as a violent crime.
Eventually Soulemane crashed into another car on Campbell Avenue, when the Inspector General says North approached and fired his weapon seven times.
Sgt. Kevin Duggan of Connecticut State Police showed evidence found at the scene to the jury, including shell casings and the gun used during the incident.
While court was taking place, the judge dismissed one of the main jurors after he says he noticed they were having a hard time following along and replaced him with one of the alternates.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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