NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Less than three months after 42-year-old Peter Arroyo was shot and killed in New Haven, police arrested the man they say did it.
In July, 29-year-old Jaquarius Carter was found out of state. He was taken back to New Haven this week to face charges.
“People that engage in violence in our community, we will do everything possible to track you down. And this case is an example of detectives acting quickly, using information and technology available to them,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.
Elicker, the police chief, detectives and members of Arroyo’s family gathered at the New Haven Police Department Thursday to provide an update on the case.
“I will commend them for how fast they, they’ve done their part and made sure to get the ball rolling and ultimately make an arrest,” said Yesenia Arroyo, Peter’s oldest daughter.
Yesenia is one of five children and five grandchildren Arroyo leaves behind. All of them wore shirts with pictures of Arroyo on them during the press event.
“My dad was a family man. He lived for his kids. He did everything he needed to do,” said Jay'Na Estrada, Peter’s daughter.
New Haven police said on May 20, just after 12:30 in the afternoon, they got reports of someone shot on Wolcott Street.
“Upon officers arrival, they found a male on ground suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. The male was later identified as Peter Arroyo,” said Lt. Pedro Colon with the New Haven Police Department.
Arroyo was later pronounced dead at the hospital. All as police searched for surveillance video, which did catch the whole incident on camera. Police said it shows Carter, dressed in all black, walking up to a group of people, including Arroyo.
“Carter is then seen on surveillance retrieving a firearm from his waist band, discharging several gunshots, one ultimately striking Arroyo, causing him to fall to the ground immediately,” Colon said.
After the incident, police found out Carter, who was on parole at the time of the shooting, ran away to Georgia. Police tracked him at first through his ankle monitor.
“At some point he got rid of the bracelet, but it put us on to the route of his escape,” Colon said.
Officers caught up with Carter near Atlanta on July 23. He was brought back to New Haven this week and charged with murder, criminal possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a permit. He is being held on a $2.5 million bond.
“Some sort of relief. I mean, it brings a relief, it just doesn’t fill that void of not having him around anymore,” Estrada said. “I’m happy there’s an arrest but, nothing is going to bring my dad back.”
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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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