HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Community activists are planning a rally on Saturday afternoon in Hartford following an officer-involved shooting in which a man experiencing a mental health crisis was shot by a Hartford police officer in the city’s North End.
The shooting marks the second officer-involved incident in Hartford in just over a week. Last week, a man was killed in a separate officer-involved shooting that also involved a mental health crisis.
A noon rally is scheduled on Saturday outside the Hartford Police Department as community activists continue to call for answers.
The shooting
Police, witnesses and the NAACP say the man was experiencing a mental health emergency at the time of the shooting. Police say he was suicidal.
Video obtained by Channel 3 Eyewitness News shows the man holding a large knife with officers positioned around him, repeatedly ordering him to drop it. Investigators say a Taser was deployed but was not effective. Police say the man then moved toward an officer who was stepping back. Shots were fired after commands were not followed.
As of Friday, the man remained in critical condition. His current status was not immediately available Saturday morning.
Community response
Community activists say the situation should have been handled differently and that more de-escalation efforts should have been used.
“What are the superiors, supervisors telling their officers at roll call? What message are they sending? We don’t want the message that when folks come into our community with mental health issues who are within our community that law enforcement are coming to kill them or harm them,” said Archbishop Dexter Burke of Walk in the Light Church of God.
The mayor also released a statement following the shooting that reads:
“The public has a right to clear answers on this — I plan to make sure they get them. As mayor, I recognize that any officer-involved shooting impacts the trust between our residents and the Hartford Police Department. Our city is grieving today,” the mayor said.
State lawmaker calls for transparency
State Rep. Joshua Hall (D-Hartford) also issued a statement on Friday calling for the release of body-worn camera footage and dashboard recordings.
“My heart goes out to the family of the individual involved, the Blue Hills neighborhood, and to our entire Hartford community, which is once again grappling with the weight of a local tragedy,” Hall said. “Any loss of life in our streets is a profound failure of the systems meant to protect us, and it leaves a lasting scar on our neighborhoods.”
Hall said he is calling for full and immediate transparency under the state’s police accountability laws.
“Under the police accountability laws that we have fought for in the General Assembly, the Office of the Inspector General is now leading the investigation. It is imperative that all body-worn camera footage and dashboard recordings be released to the public as soon as possible, as allowed by law, to ensure the facts speak for themselves,” Hall said. “While we must allow the Inspector General to conduct a thorough and independent review, we cannot ignore the ongoing need to evaluate how we handle high-stakes encounters in our city.”
Hall said he will continue to monitor the situation and remain in communication with city leaders and the Inspector General’s office.
The Office of the Inspector General is investigating and will determine if the shooting was justified.
No further details were released.
Eyewitness News will provide more details as soon as they become available.
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