Photo By Eugene Driscoll
An Ansonia detective photographs a car next to which two men were shot Tuesday.
ANSONIA — Police Wednesday continued to investigate a double shooting that happened Tuesday night at the corner of Star and Fifth streets in the city’s north end.
Two men were shot while standing near a car at about 7:30 p.m.
A 19-year-old man was shot at least three times in the torso and possibly the leg, Lt. Patrick Lynch said. He had emergency surgery Tuesday to save his life. He was listed in critical but stable condition. The condition means he is seriously injured, but not expected to get worse in the short term.
Police have not had the chance to talk to the man because of his injuries.
A 63-year-old man was also shot. He was in stable condition Wednesday, Lynch said.
“The 63-year-old was shot once,” Lynch said.
Police are reviewing video from the area.
“We’re trying to isolate a suspect’s vehicle. As soon as we can confirm it, we’ll send it out,” Lynch said. “At this point, we don’t have enough to definitively say this is our suspect’s vehicle.”
Police interviewed the 63-year-old victim but are not releasing information about what he said.
The two men were standing next to a Pontiac sedan with the hood up when they were attacked.
“We believe they were looking at the car when the shooting happened. As far as I know there’s no relationship between the two victims as in a family or friend relationship. They were both just looking at the car and someone came and started shooting,” Lynch said.
The 63-year-old man is from Ansonia. The 19-year-old has a West Haven address but has ties to Ansonia.
The car the victims were standing next to was parked in the street next to a three-story, multi-family house. Several people were home when the shooting happened.
The neighborhood is heavily populated. Dozens of people were out and about in the area, which is off North Main Street near Gatison Park. It was still light out when the shooting happened.
Police have been able to recover evidence thanks to information provided by people in the neighborhood and in the area, Lynch said.
People with information should call the Ansonia Police Department at 203 – 735-1885. Tips can be left anonymously through Tip411.
The shooter’s motivation and intended target remained unknown Wednesday. It is still early in the investigation.
“We’re trying to find out who the suspect was targeting. We’re not sure if they were targeting either one of them, one of them, or both of them,” Lynch said. “Were they both innocent bystanders and there was a third person? There were multiple people in the area, so we are trying to determine the target.”
Neighbors told The Valley Indy crime is an issue in the north end. A mother said she feels trapped in the neighborhood, and is scared to let her child out. Neighbors also complained about drug dealing in Gatison Park.
Lynch said police try to maintain a presence in the north end.
“The park is where we’ve had a lot of problems in the past. We try to keep a presence there and we’ve expanded it a few blocks in each direction,” Lynch said. “We try to keep an officer up there as much as possible, especially during the summertime when there are more people out.”
Man Told Girls To Get Into His Vehicle
In addition to the shooting Tuesday, police were called to the parking lot of the Ansonia Middle School at 8 p.m. where two girls said a man tried to lure them into his vehicle.
Police are continuing to work that case as well, Lynch said.
The two girls, ages 11 and 12, told police a man in a SUV approached them and told them several times to get into his vehicle.
The girls ran off and the suspect left, police said.
The parking lot is on Day Street. Lynch said police were able to interview neighbors who corroborated parts of the girls’ story.
“One neighbor corroborated seeing the black-colored car leaving the area,” Lynch said. The girls could also be heard screaming.
“The vehicle is described as a black, smaller SUV with the rear windows tinted and the driver was a black male wearing a red (baseball) hat and red shirt with gold-rim glasses,” police said in a statement released Tuesday.
Police are also trying to find video connected to that case. Residents with home security cameras should take note.
People with information should call the Ansonia Police Department at 203 – 735-1885. Tips can be left anonymously through Tip411
Other Arrests
In addition, Ansonia police Wednesday released information regarding two arrests made in unrelated investigations.
Edward Brown, 54, of Naugatuck was arrested July 15 for his alleged involvement in the assault and robbery of a person in Gatison Park back in 2015.
The victim was stabbed and his cell phone and cash were stolen, police said. Two juveniles were previously arrested.
“During the investigation, Detective Sgt. James Frolish was able to identify Brown from the evidence recovered at the scene and through subsequent search warrants,” police said in a statement.
Brown was charged with first-degree assault, first-degree conspiracy to commit assault, and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery. More arrests are expected, police said.
Brown was arrested after police obtained a warrant.
Leroy Shaw, 22, of Ansonia, was arrested July 13 for his alleged involvement in the robbery of a food delivery driver on Beaver Street on Dec. 31, 2018.
Shaw is one of two suspects. One of the suspects showed a gun during the crime, police said.
“During the investigation, Detective Brian Harte was able to identify Shaw from the evidence recovered at the scene and through subsequent search warrants,” police said.
Shaw was charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, and second-degree conspiracy to commit larceny. He’s due in court Oct. 8.
More arrests are expected, police said.
