NEW BRITAIN -- Police have arrested two teenagers following an officer-involved shooting last night.
Connecticut State Police said 18-year old Noah Young of Bloomfield has been charged with illegal possession of heroin, possession with intent to sell, and risk of injury to a child.
Police also said a 15-year-old juvenile male was issued a juvenile summons for carrying weapons in a motor vehicle, possession of a pistol without a permit, and possession of narcotics.
The arrests stem from a deadly police shooting in New Britain Thursday night when New Britain Police attempted to stop a Teal Toyota Paseo suspected in several violent carjackings and robberies.
According to an affidavit, one of the incidents involving the Toyota occurred Monday on Kelsey Street. New Britain Police recognized the Toyota from surveillance video near the scene. According to police, those involved in the robbery fired several shots at the victim’s car.
Thursday, New Britain Police noticed the vehicle, and attempted to box it in in the area of Chapman Street and Chapman Court.
“The operator of the Toyota attempted to flee the area and in doing so struck some of the police vehicles, in an effort to elude the police,” the affidavit reads. “Fearing for their safety, New Britain Police personnel shot several rounds from their duty weapons at the Toyota striking the front two occupants of the vehicle.”
The 20-year-old male driving the car was shot in the neck, and died in the hospital, according to police.
The 15-year-old passenger sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. According to police, he was in possession of suspected heroin and bullets.
Young, was also found with three bundles of suspected heroin containing 10 individual packets in each bundle, according to police. Young was treated for minor lacerations to his arm.
Police said there was at least one gun in the car.
In an interview with Connecticut State Police, Young denied any knowledge of the gun in the car or of prior robberies.
FOX61 went to Young’s house and his mother released a statement, “I have every reason to believe that there’s more to this story than what the police is willing to share. I don’t believe these boys shot at the police, I really don’t.”
According to police, the operator drove the vehicle directly towards the officers.
There are two active arrest warrants for Young out from the Bloomfield Police Department for Use of a Motor Vehicle without Owner’s Permission.
Young is being held on bond and due back in court in January.
As per protocol, the officers involved were placed on paid administrative leave, according to Mayor Erin Stewart.
A use of force investigation is currently being done by the CSP Central District Major Crime Squad.
David McGuire, Executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut released a statement following the incident:
"In America, our justice system is supposed to treat people as innocent until proven otherwise, and we value people’s lives over property. Yet police have killed another person in Connecticut, and the public is once again struggling for answers about what happened. Policing should not be a sunlight-free or Constitution-free zone, and it should be beholden to the checks and balances that democracy demands. At minimum, when police shoot and kill someone, the public deserves full transparency. We demand complete, immediate transparency from the New Britain Police Department and a transparent, thorough investigation from the Middlesex State’s Attorney.
The New Britain Police Department should immediately identify the police officers who shot to kill and injure three people. If there is dashboard camera footage or other footage of what happened last night, law enforcement should immediately release footage. New Britain police have only released one-sided information, not the full details of what happened. Transparency will not bring back the life lost last night, but it would be a welcome step toward change."