A man faces attempted assault and firearm charges after pulling a revolver out during a foot pursuit with a state trooper that led to the policeman drawing his firearm and shooting the man in the chest outside of a gas station in Killingly in 2023.
Ruben Muller, 43, of Milford, Massachusetts was arrested Tuesday after he was extradited to Connecticut, according to Connecticut State Police.
Muller faces charges of attempted first-degree assault, criminal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with an officer, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and illegal use of a marker, license or registration.
The arrest warrant affidavit supporting the charges said Muller was spotted in a Mercury Grand Marquis parked at Chucky’s Mobil gas station at 599 Hartford Pike on Dec. 30, 2023. The vehicle was believed to be tied to an armed robbery two days earlier in Rhode Island where judge had signed a warrant allowing authorities to search the vehicle.
As Trooper Joseph Godbout spotted the vehicle around 1:15 p.m., he put his emergency lights on and pulled behind the vehicle, the warrant affidavit said. The driver, later identified as Muller, walked toward the convenience store and ignored Godbout, according to the warrant affidavit and body camera footage, which was released in connection with the Connecticut Office of Inspector General’s investigation that concluded Godbout was justified in the shooting.
Godbout convinced Muller to come speak with him, at which point Godbout turned him to face the vehicle with his arms on the roof, according to the footage. Godbout then saw a clear bag protruding from Muller’s pocket that he believed was a narcotic.
According to the warrant affidavit, Muller took off running after being told to put his hands behind his back. Godbout chased after him and deployed a taser, but it had no effect, the footage shows.
Godbout tried deploying a taser a second time when Muller stumbled, but Muller was able to continue running away until he ran into a red pickup truck that was being driven through the lot, knocking him to the ground, according to the footage. Muller can then be seen in the footage pulling out a silver revolver from his pant leg.
According to the inspector general investigation, Muller pointed the gun toward Godbout. Godbout reportedly drew his weapon and fired one round into Muller’s chest, the warrant affidavit said.
Muller then dropped the gun and rolled over onto his side, the warrant affidavit said. He was treated at the scene before being taken to Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. He was later transferred to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts for a higher level of care and was discharged after a week, according to authorities.
Muller’s firearm, black Ruger SP 101 revolver, was loaded with five rounds and was functional, according to investigators. Police conducted a Firearms E-Trace through the Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Tracing Center, which showed that it was purchased at an Adventure Outdoors store in Atlanta, Georgia in March 2011, the warrant affidavit said. The identity of the individual who first bought the gun was redacted from the warrant before it was publicly released.
State police could not find any other records tied to the gun following the initial purchase, according to the warrant affidavit.
State police noted in the warrant affidavit that Muller is a convinced felon. In September 2012 in Worcester, Massachusetts, he was sentenced to 10 to 12 years in prison in connection with an armed robbery with a knife.
Muller remains held on a $200,000 bond following his arraignment in Danielson Superior Court on Wednesday, records show. He is due back in court on March 6.
The inspector general investigation concluded that Godbout’s use of deadly force was justified based on his “reasonable” belief that he was in danger when Muller pulled out a gun.
Authorities said they identified Mark Heath of Killingly as a suspect in the robbery hours after it occurred, the warrant affidavit said. He was known to police to drive the Grand Marquis that was tied to the robbery. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Heath was apprehended in January 2024 at a hotel in the Dayville section of Killingly and charged in the robbery.