By Stephen Underwood
Hartford Courant
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut’s Office of Inspector General along with the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad are handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting in Hartford last month that resulted in a 17-year-old getting injured, as new details emerge around the circumstances of the shooting.
According to investigators, the incident took place on Sept. 29 after Middletown police issued a lookout for a black Subaru Outback they believed was driven by homicide suspect Barrington Brown.
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At approximately 10:48 p.m. on Sept. 29, the West Hartford Police Department received a Flock camera alert for the Subaru. Shortly after, West Hartford police located the vehicle near New Park Avenue and Oakwood Avenue in West Hartford and began to pursue it.
Stop sticks were deployed, which were successful in deflating one or more of the Subaru’s tires, according to investigators with the Office of Inspector General. The Subaru then proceeded into Hartford , heading east on Flatbush Avenue, according to investigators. Hartford police officers then joined in the pursuit once the vehicle crossed into the city.
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West Hartford police Officer Christian Montesdeoca was following immediately behind the Subaru as it crossed the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Hillside Avenue in Hartford. Just after passing that intersection, Brown twice opened the driver’s side door of the vehicle and fired a total of three shots at Montesdeoca.
After the third shot fired by Brown, Montesdeoca returned fire, discharging his firearm through the front windshield of his cruiser.
Brown then exited his vehicle and ran between two residences located at 56-58 Flatbush Ave. and 50-52 Flatbush Ave. Three West Hartford police officers, including Montesdeoca, pursued Brown on foot. Several Hartford police officers also joined the foot chase, according to investigators.
Brown then jumped over a fence separating the two properties from the backyard and approached a black Acura, which was running, but parked in the rear area of 50-52 Flatbush Ave. Two people were sitting in the Acura and listening to music. A 17-year-old was sitting in the driver’s seat and a 19-year-old man was sitting in the front passenger seat, according to investigators.
Brown held up a firearm and ordered the individuals to get out of the car, according to new details from the Office of Inspector General.
While the two people in the vehicle were attempting to exit the vehicle though the front passenger door, the 17-year-old sustained a superficial gunshot wound to his buttock. Brown then entered the vehicle and attempted to drive it out of the parking area.
Three West Hartford police officers then discharged their firearms at Brown from an area along the chain-link fence separating the two residences. Officer Montesdeoca, Sgt. Raymond Narciso, and Officer Amber Prose each fired their weapons at Brown, according to investigators.
Brown reportedly then exited the vehicle, raised his arms in the air, and surrendered to the officers, who then took him into custody. Investigators say a black handgun was located next to the vehicle and later seized by detectives.
Investigators said that during the incident, Brown sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder area. Officers at the scene immediately gave him medical care and he was transported to Hartford Hospital where he was treated for his injury.
Brown was subsequently arrested by the Middletown Police Department, discharged by the hospital and arraigned in Superior Court in Middletown on charges relating to the Middletown homicide.
None of the officers involved in the incident sustained any physical injuries, according to the report.
The 17-year-old received treatment for his injury at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and was discharged on Sept. 30, investigators said.
The Office of the Inspector General said it has not yet been determined whether the 17-year-old was shot by Brown or by the officers who had fired at Brown. The investigation remains ongoing, according to officials.
West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick Jr. said that his department will fully cooperate with the investigation and that he is thankful no one was seriously injured in the incident.
“As depicted in the accompanying videos included in the Office of Inspector General’s press release, West Hartford Police Officers, confronted with an immediate and dangerous threat, put their lives at risk while taking action to effect the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with a domestic violence homicide,” Riddick said.
“Thankfully, no one was seriously injured during the arrest. The West Hartford Police Department will fully cooperate with the office of Inspector General‘s investigation into this use of force incident, in an effort to ensure that the investigation can proceed as expeditiously as possible.”
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
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