Jermaine Smalls
ANSONIA — Police announced Monday that they lodged an attempted murder against a 20-year-old man who allegedly shot another man on Fourth Street.
Jermaine Smalls, of Ansonia, was also charged with first-degree assault and first-degree reckless endangerment.
On Dec. 15, an Ansonia police officer on patrol on Fourth Street reported hearing shots fired in the area at about 1:50 p.m. It was the third such report in less than a week, and the officer was part of increased patrols in the area.
“The officer was on Liberty Street near Fourth Street about 150 feet from where the shooting took place. A male all in black clothing was seen running from the area of the shots fired and attempted to elude officers in the area before he was detained on Star Street,” according to a statement prepared by Lt. Patrick Lynch.
Police checked the area where Smalls ran — an area between a community center building and a condo complex — and, with the help of a Seymour canine team, recovered a handgun along with clothes Smalls had been wearing, authorities said.
“Shortly after the shots fired, Griffin Hospital reported they had a male shooting victim at their emergency room,” Lynch said.
The victim in the Ansonia case, a 32-year-old man from Bridgeport, survived.
After detaining Smalls, police learned he is also a suspect in a shooting in New York City.
Smalls was detained immediately after the shooting and charged with five drug and weapons offenses.
Police then built a case in order to get a warrant to charge him with attempted murder.
Smalls was formally charged during a court appearance Jan. 27. He’s due back in court on March 31.
He’s still wanted in New York City, where police did not return calls seeking comment.
