Bridgeport Victim In Groton Assault Dies; Police Release ID

BRIDGEPORT, CT — The victim in an assault in Groton has died, according to police.

Gerson Chiluisa, 46, of Bridgeport, died Tuesday at 6:19 p.m. at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Town of Groton police responded at 10:34 a.m. Monday to 618 Poquonnock Road on a report of an assault in the parking lot.

They found Chiluisa unconscious on the ground. First responders provided medical aid to the victim until EMS arrived.

Chiluisa was taken by ambulance to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, then airlifted to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment of serious head injuries.

Police then found a suspect in front of a neighboring business on Poquonnock Road. Officers took the suspect into custody at about 11:30 a.m.

A police investigation found that the suspect confronted the victim, then struck him, causing him to fall to the ground.

Antwan Strickland, 31, of Hartford, was charged with first-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. He was held on $750,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on Tuesday. The court will "address any substitution of charges as appropriate for this case at a date to be determined," police said.

The state chief medical examiner performed an autopsy on the victim Wednesday. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force injury to the head, and the manner of death was certified as homicide, according to police.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case can contact Groton police at 860-441-6712.