Mother's Call Leads to Her Son's Arrest, But Earns Praise From Police

New Haven Police believe that the actions of a concerned mother who called police to report the suspicious activity of her son may have very well prevented a violent tragedy.

The mother of a teenager called police after she suspected her son was armed with a shotgun, said Officer David Hartman, police spokesman. She also noted that her son looked “pissed,” and that she heard part of a disturbing phone conversation.

The incident ended with police tracking down two teenagers. A 16-year-old was standing next to a stolen 2012 Ford Escape and was handcuffed by police. Officers found a duffle bag with a sawed of 12-gauge 600AT pistol-grip shotgun and shotgun cartridges in the vehicle.

A 17-year-old was charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun, interfering with police and third-degree trespassing. A 16-year-old was charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun and second-degree larceny. The SUV was reported stolen in the area of Donna drive and the owner lives in East Haven.

“We are impressed with this parent’s decision to call on us to investigate this incident,” said Police Chief Dean Esserman. “Community policing depends on the citizens’ trust. We are grateful to this mother for providing us with the valuable information that kept her son and others safe.”

The New Haven Police Department has been focusing on community policing in an effort to work with the community in order to prevent violence.

Its efforts have been chronicled extensively in the New Haven Register, New Haven Independent and recently in a prominent Wall Street Journal report.

The department has earned praise especially as other police departments across the nation struggle to build trust with its citizens.

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Here is the rest of the police account of the incident:

When mom saw her son leaving with a duffle-bag, she stopped him and asked where he was going. She said she felt the bag. Her son’s answer that it contained clothes didn’t add up. After feeling it, she knew it contained something else. She described it as long and hard.

When asked how long, she held her hands up and apart, suggesting it was about a foot and a half long. She told the Officers that days ago she learned from someone else that her son may have had a shotgun concealed in a black duffle bag.

She presumed the hard item she’d felt in the bag was just that. Even though she’d not seen what was inside the bag, she was concerned enough to phone Police.

Officers Valente and Baliga issued a ‘broadcast’ for the seventeen year old - passing along to area Officers the young man’s description and that he may have been armed. “Black male, 5’06”, slim build, short hair, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, red sneakers and carrying the aforementioned duffle.

A phone call from mom shed some light on the teen’s location. He said he was at a friend’s house on Garden Street. Officer Paul Prusinski soon spotted the suspect. He was walking south on Garden Street toward Edgewood Avenue. When the Officer approached him, the teen took off. He ran into a Garden Street home through the front door, closing and locking it behind him. Officers Thomas Glynn, Patrick Bengston and Michael Lozada arrived to assist.

When he and Officers Carlos Conceicao and Tiffany Ortiz went to the back of the house, they spotted a sixteen year old boy. He was standing next to the open door to a green stolen 2012 Ford Escape.

Officer Conceicao recognized the young man from a previous gun related incident and knew he had an outstanding warrant. When the teen saw Officer Conceicao, he reached toward the floor area of the Ford’s back seat. He was quickly handcuffed and relieved of the stolen car’s keys.

Once it was confirmed the teen had a warrant for violating a court order, he was arrested and handcuffed. Officers then found the duffle bag. It was located on the floor of the SUV. It contained a Mossberg Model “sawed-off” 12 gage 600AT pistol-grip shotgun and shotgun cartridges.

Image via NHPD1/Wikipedia