ID Released Of Victim In Fatal Fairfield Party Shooting: UPDATE

FAIRFIELD, CT — The victim of the fatal shooting at a birthday party in Fairfield Saturday night was only days away from his own birthday, according to police.

Bridgeport resident Zion Burton, 15, has been identified as the teen who died from a single gunshot wound at a birthday party for a 13-year-old boy, according to police.

"Zion's 16th birthday would have been on 07/15/2022 and on behalf of Chief Robert Kalamaras and the entire Fairfield Police Department, we offer our most sincere condolences to Zion’s family," wrote Fairfield Police Lt. Michael Paris in a statement. "Our investigators are working diligently, pursuing several leads to apprehend the person(s) responsible."

A second victim, a female, was treated at Bridgeport Hospital for a gunshot wound to the jaw and has been released from the hospital, according to Kalamaras.

"Our department sends its deepest condolences to the family for this senseless loss of life," Kalamaras said during a news conference Sunday morning at Fairfield Police Headquarters.

The shooting occurred at about 10:30 p.m. in the banquet hall adjacent to Calvin United Church of Christ on Kings Highway East near Hibiscus Street, where police estimate that 150 to 200 people were in attendance. The hall had been rented out for the party to someone not from Fairfield, according to Kalamaras.

Police were called to the scene on a report of gunshots, though detectives who are in the midst of investigating the shooting believe only one shot was fired that struck the two victims.

"First arriving officers located an unresponsive male victim in the hall and immediately began lifesaving measures," Kalamaras said. "The victim was transported to Saint Vincent’s Medical Center by [American Medical Response] where he died as a result of his injuries. Soon thereafter, police received notice that a female victim had arrived at [Bridgeport Hospital] suffering a gunshot wound to the jaw."

The shooting occurred during a fight in the hall, which led to people rushing from the facility into the street. As people scattered, three people suffered minor injuries.

"As people exited the banquet hall, three additional people sustained minor injuries that were not related to gunfire, contrary to what was dispersed on several media and social media venues," Kalamaras said. "This was a single gunshot fired, which resulted in [two] victims being struck."

Members of Connecticut State Police, Westport police, Stratford police, and Easton police also were called to assist with crowd control as Fairfield officers secured the crime scene, Kalamaras said.

The shooter remains at-large, but Kalamaras called the shooting an isolated incident, and "evidence indicates that the suspect knew the victim and fled the scene shortly after the shooting."

In addition to Fairfield police detectives, member of the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crimes Squad also are actively investigating the shooting, Kalamaras said.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via the Fairfield PD mobile app or by texting the keyword FPDCT plus the message/tip to 847411 (Tip411).

Tips can also be submitted online at fpdct.com/tips.

(Note: When sending a tip by text message, text keyword FPDCT to 847411, add a space, type in the tip information, and hit send, according to Fairfield police.)