WEST HAVEN, Conn. — A New Haven man is dead after police said he was shot by officers at the Splash Car Wash on the Boston Post Road in West Haven Thursday night.
Police reported being at the business initially for an investigation led by officers from the State Police Violent Crimes Task Force and the New Haven Police Criminal Intel Unit.
Police said at one point, the suspect they were tracking displayed a gun. That action, they said, prompted a State Police sergeant and a New Haven police officer to shoot the man. Officers said the 36-year-old New Haven man later died of his injuries, after police attempted life-saving measures at the scene.
The officers walked away uninjured after briefly being evaluated.
New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson spoke with reporters shortly after the incident Thursday night.
“This shows you what happens in violent situations. Our officers do the best job they can do to not do this. And I just left them, and clearly, they’re upset. But, uh, it’s unfortunate,” Jacobson said, holding back tears.
The business where the incident happened was closed to customers all day Friday, but others in the area remained open, including El Centenario Cantina, three buildings away.
“I heard a couple shots,” said Centi Diaz, the owner of the cantina.
Diaz said he was working in his office at the time of the incident on Thursday. His office window overlooks the back of the carwash.
“I tried to look to the window, but I decided not to because I don’t know, maybe something happened in the back. I don’t want to be in the middle,” Diaz said.
Other witnesses said they were stuck in traffic at the major intersection as officers rushed to the scene.
“About a half hour, we were sitting there, watching everything,” said Rafael Roman, of New Haven. “First it started like, four or five cops. Then we saw detectives come, but they were just; they were just rushing into the scene.”
As neighbors wait to learn more about what happened, they said they won’t forget what they heard.
“Yes, of course. We’re always going to be thinking about what happened. You know, when something like that happens, it always will stay a little, you know, you’ll always have a little feeling,” Diaz said.
The investigation is now in the hands of the Office of the Inspector General which, by law, must release the video from the body worn cameras of the officers involved within 96 hours of the incident. At that time, the names of the officers are expected to be released and the name of the man who died.
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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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