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Altercation at a packed park in Groton stirred panic on Saturday: Police

Two men were involved in an altercation, police said; one may have had two firearms, which sent hundreds of players and spectators into a frenzy, fleeing the park.

GROTON, Conn. — A chaotic scene unfolded Saturday at Poquonnock Plains Park in Groton after an altercation sent hundreds of players and spectators in all directions, looking to flee the park and avoid a man they believed had two guns, police said in a release.

At approximately 1 p.m., police said they received multiple 911 calls reporting a suspect with a firearm at the park on Fort Hill Road. At the time of the incident, several youth sporting events were occurring simultaneously at the park, and several hundred people were there in attendance, according to police.

Police said that after subsequent 911 calls reported that gun shots were fired, all available Groton police officers responded to the scene; the first officers arrived within a minute, and an off-duty officer arrived on scene before them.

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Further investigation revealed that two men physically fought on the sidelines of one of the games, police said, noting that one of the men returned to his vehicle and produced what onlookers believed to be two firearms.

“(That) caused panic throughout the crowd and sent hundreds of players and spectators fleeing from the park in all directions,” the release said.

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Police said that officers on scene confirmed no gunshots were actually fired in the park and that police found the two men involved in the fight and arrested them. 

The two men, identified as Randall Clark, 43, of Medford, Mass., and Dustin Hibbert, 30, of Bridgeport, are believed to be the only people involved in the incident, according to police.

Clark is facing charges of breach of peace in the second degree, risk of injury to a minor, threatening in the first degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, carrying a firearm with intent to display, carrying a firearm without a permit and was arrested on a $20,000 bond. 

Hibbert is facing charges of breach of peace in the second degree, risk of injury to a minor and was arrested on a $2,500 bond.

Both Clark and Hibbert were taken to Groton Police Headquarters where they were later released, police said. They are both expected to appear in court on May 20 in New London Superior Court.

The case remains under investigation, and anyone who has information pertaining to the incident is asked to call Groton police at 860-441-6712.

K9 teams, officers and the Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department searched for the guns observed by witnesses during the incident, but were unable to find them, police said.

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According to police, officers from numerous surrounding police departments responded to the park to provide mutual aid. Police said the departments included Groton City police, Groton Long Point police, state police, Ledyard police, Stonington police, Norwich police, Mohegan Tribal police, Mashantucket police, New London police, UConn police, Willimantic police, and Connecticut State Environmental Conservation police.

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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com

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