By Liz Hardaway
Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — The state Office of the Inspector General released a report Tuesday providing video footage of an incident in which police shot at a man who attacked an officer with a knife Saturday.
Inspector General Robert Devlin investigates cases in which peace officers use deadly force and determines whether they are justified.
Bridgeport police were called to the 100 block of Terry Place at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 5 for a report of an “emotionally disturbed person,” according to police. When officers arrived, they could hear a man, later identified as 45-year-old Huntley Jackson, yelling from inside that he wasn’t going to leave without a fight, according to a police report.
Four officers stood on the front porch and spoke to Jackson while he was in the doorway behind a glass door. Body-camera footage, which was provided by Devlin Tuesday, showed the officers knocking on the glass door, asking Jackson to unlock it as he seemed to be arguing with someone inside, his back facing the officers.
Bridgeport Officer Marie Cetti used what appeared to be a pocketknife to manipulate the door lock. As a person inside reached over Jackson to open the door, Jackson turned around and stepped out of the doorway, threatened to “kill” one of the officers and lunged toward Cetti with a knife, the video showed.
One officer appeared to grab Jackson and then Officer Jesse Jimenez fired two shots. The first shot was fired approximately four seconds after Jackson lunged at the officer, the video shows.
After Jimenez fired the shots, Jackson laid on the porch. Jimenez notified dispatch that shots had been fired and officers commanded Jackson not to move. Jimenez and another officer pointed their guns at Jackson, continuing to command him not to move and repeatedly telling him to put down the knife.
Devlin’s report Tuesday stated that Jimenez then fired his weapon twice at Jackson, hitting him in the torso.
Police said Jackson stabbed Cetti in the shoulder, neck and head. The officer was taken to the hospital, treated for injuries and later released, police said Saturday, though a prosecutor said Monday that Cetti was in serious condition.
Jackson, of Bridgeport, was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital and was in critical condition Saturday morning, police said at the time. Devlin said on Tuesday that Jackson underwent surgery and his condition was listed as “guarded but stable.”
Jackson is charged with criminal attempt of murder, first-degree assault, assault on a public safety officer, second-degree threatening, interfering/resisting arrest and carrying a dangerous weapon. His bail initially was set at $1 million.
Jackson was arraigned remotely from his hospital bed Monday afternoon, wearing a respirator mask and nodding as a judge read the charges against him. The judge ordered Jackson held in lieu of $750,000 bail; he is next scheduled to appear in court Oct. 22.
Bridgeport police protocol dictates the officer, or officers, involved in this incident be assigned to modified duty until a determination has been made by the Office of the Inspector General, according to police.
The Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut State Police’s Western District Major Crime Squad and the Office of the State’s Attorney’s Judicial District of Bridgeport are continuing to investigate the incident.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Office of the Inspector General at 203-806-1595.
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