A police officer shot a man this afternoon on the Maple Street bridge in Ansonia, police said Saturday (Feb. 1).
The shooting occurred just after 2 p.m., according to Ansonia Police Lt. Andrew Cota.
The wounded suspect made it to Derby, in the area of E. Ninth and Hawkins street, Cota said.
He was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital by Storm ambulance.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti said at the scene about 4 p.m. that the suspect was in surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Cassetti identified the officer involved as Joseph Jackson.
He said Jackson was transported to Griffin Hospital but was not injured seriously during the incident.
“He had some back pain but nothing serious,” Cassetti said. “He was wrestling with the individual and he hurt his back.”
“It was unfortunate that it happened,” Cassetti said. “Hopefully the people involved are going to be all right.”
State police detectives are heading up the investigation, per protocol with officer-involved shootings.
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According to a prepared statement from state police, Jackson stopped a vehicle that had just left the scene of an accident.
The driver assaulted Jackson and was able to get back into his vehicle.
“Officer Jackson observed the suspect drive directly at (him) and he was forced to draw his service weapon and fire at the suspect,” according to the state police statement.
The suspect’s wounds are not life threatening, police said.
The suspect’s name has not been released as of 5:45 p.m.
A few moments prior to the shooting, Janet Roberge of Ansonia said she was driving in her car with her daughter, Rhiannon, on the Maple Street bridge approaching the traffic light at Main Street when a vehicle in front of her rear-ended a car being driven by an older woman.
The vehicle, driven by a man wearing a baseball hat, did a U‑turn on the bridge, in what looked like an attempt to evade the minor fender-bender, according to Roberge.
The older woman who was rear-ended got out of her car and yelled for him to stop. Roberge called 911.
Her daughter got out of the car and spotted Officer Jackson in a police SUV midway on the bridge. She told Jackson the SUV had just been involved in an accident.
Jackson stopped the vehicle and the driver got out.
“Are you trying to run,” Jackson asked the man, according to Roberge.
“No,” the man said, holding his arms out.
The man did not appear agitated, but seemed to be in a rush, the Roberges said.
The mother and daughter left the scene prior to the shooting.
Several vehicles were stopped in the area of the bridge Saturday afternoon as police interviewed potential witnesses.
In addition to Cassetti, Ansonia Police Chief Kevin Hale was also at the scene Saturday afternoon, as are several officers from Ansonia and Seymour.
Earlier, Derby Police Chief Gerald Narowski spent several minutes at the scene.
Police closed Olson Drive at its intersection with High Street, and Franklin Street was closed at its intersection with Jackson Street.
This story will be updated as more details become available.
