Hartford City Council President T.J. Clarke II and the council are calling for “full transparency and accountability following Friday’s police-involved shooting in Hartford.
The individual who was shot, who was not named, was listed in critical condition after the shooting occurred just after 11 a.m. Friday in the 600 block of Blue Hills Avenue. The Hartford Police Department were responding to a report of a suicidal man holding a knife.
According to Hartford police, the officer deployed a Taser, which was not effective. Also, the man with the knife then allegedly approached one of the officers, who backed up and called for the man to drop the weapon.
The officer then fired multiple shots at the man, according to eyewitness video obtained by multiple media outlets.
A request for comment was sent to the Hartford Police Department Sunday. It was the second officer-involved shooting in Hartford in just over a week.
“The Hartford City Council expresses deep concern following the police-involved shooting that occurred last Friday morning in the City of Hartford,” Clarke said “We extend our prayers and sincere concern to all individuals and families impacted, and we recognize the fear, grief, and uncertainty such incidents can bring to our community.”
“At this time, the Council is calling for full transparency and accountability consistent with Connecticut’s police accountability laws. It is essential that the facts surrounding this incident be communicated clearly, responsibly, and in a timely manner to maintain public trust and ensure justice,” he added.
The Connecticut Office of Inspector General is investigating the shooting. The officer who was involved has not been identified.
On Friday, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam released a statement saying that there will be a full review of Friday’s shooting.
“We stand in support of the Mayor’s request for a full investigation and a transparent process. We support the independent review process and urge full cooperation with the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General and all required investigative authorities. In addition, we encourage the timely release of information and body-worn camera footage as permitted by law, so that the public is informed with accuracy and integrity,” Clarke wrote.
“Transparency is essential to trust. Our residents deserve clarity, honesty, and accountability. At the same time, we must come together to support healing and ensure that every member of our community feels safe and respected,” Clarke II added.
A request for comment was sent to a spokesman for the mayor.
Arulampalam said Friday, “there will be a full review of the officer-involved shooting that took place today in the Blue Hills, and I will use my office and my voice to ensure it is done in a thorough, transparent, and timely manner. 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.” Arulampalam said in a statement. “Our city is grieving today. This is a heavy burden for our community to carry, and I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families and neighbors feeling the weight of this pain.”
Corrie Betts, president of the Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP, has expressed the group’s concerns following the two officer-involved shootings in Hartford.
“The Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP is deeply disturbed by the two recent police shootings in our region, including the most recent incident on Blue Hills, both involving individuals experiencing mental health crises,” Betts said in a statement Friday.
“When mental health emergencies end in fatal outcomes, it demands serious review, transparency and accountability,” he added.
Betts said the Greater Hartford NAACP would be working in coordination with the Connecticut State Conference of the NAACP and the National NAACP to “ensure a thorough and transparent review of these incidents.”
“Mental health crisis should not be a death sentence,” he said in the statement.
The Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP also held a press conference to address the shooting.
“Loss of life should be the absolute last resort, not the option,” Betts said. “We are calling for transparency review of communication between officers on the scene, crisis intervention, decision-making timeline and whether every reasonable option was exhausted before resorting to lethal force.
“The Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP will be working with the Connecticut State Conference and the National NAACP to ensure that these questions are answered thoroughly, publicly and without delay.”