UPDATE: Bridgeport Police Chief Issues Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting in Stratford

UPDATE, 12:30 p.m.: Bridgeport Police Chief Armando “A.J.” Perez has issued the following statement regarding the officer-involved shooting that took place yesterday Sunday evening in Stratford in which a suspect sustained non-life threatening injuries:

“The Bridgeport Police Department has very strict guidelines on the use of force and the use of deadly force. An officer is justified to use deadly force only under the following circumstances:

1) To defend the officer or another person from what the officer reasonably believes to be the use of imminent use of deadly physical force.

2) To effect an arrest or prevent the escape from custody of a person whom the officer reasonably believes a) has committed or attempted to commit a felony that involved the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical injury; AND,

b) The officer reasonably believes that the person still poses an immediate threat to the officer of third party through the use of deadly physical force to the officer or a third party.

Using those guidelines, I stand firmly behind the actions of the Bridgeport police officers involved in this incident last night. As is our protocol, we refer any incident in which a person is struck by the discharge of a service weapon fired by a Bridgeport for investigation by the local State Attorney and the Connecticut State Police. This matter is now under investigation by the office of Bridgeport State Attorney John Smirga and the Connecticut State Police. As such, we can have no further comment on any details related to this matter, pending the outcome of the state investigation.”

Original post

STRATFORD, CT — Connecticut State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting, in which a women sustained non-life threatening injuries, Sunday evening in Stratford and involved a Bridgeport police officer.

Bridgeport police attempted to stop a motor vehicle that was stolen in Bridgeport and the pursuit entered into Stratford, according to Trooper Kelly Grant.

Police said the vehicle intentionally struck two Bridgeport police cruisers when the pursuit ended on Seymour Street.

A Bridgeport police officer fired at least one shot from their department issued handgun, striking the female suspect/operator of the stolen vehicle, according to Grant.

The woman was transported to Bridgeport Hospital for evaluation of the non-life threatening injuries, Grant said.

The police officer wasn’t injured.

The suspect and police officer have yet to be identified.

State Police Detectives from Western District Major Crime were requested by the Bridgeport State's Attorney Office and Bridgeport Police Chief to investigate the shooting.

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