Hamden Officer Involved In Shooting Identified

HAMDEN, CT — State Police and the State's Attorney's office are expediting their investigation into an officer-involved shooting that left a 22-year-old woman injured in New Haven. The incident involved Yale and Hamden Police and has led to protests in both municipalities after video depicting part of the incident was released.

The Hamden officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Devin Eaton, according to the New Haven Independent. Eaton attended the New Haven Police Academy and became a city cop in March 2015. He later resigned and joined Hamden's police force a little over a year later.

Police, fire and city officials from both Hamden and New Haven came together Wednesday to offer some new details into the incident and a pledge to work closer together to avoid similar incidents in the future.

"Incidents like these erode the trust a community has in a police department,”said New Haven Acting Police Chief Otoniel Reyes at a Wednesday press conference, adding that it doesn't matter that New Haven Police weren't involved in the incident.

Tuesday's shooting can't be undone, but there can be more inter-departmental cooperation going forward, Reyes said.

"This is not a time for us to stand back, this is a time for all of us to be leaders,” he said.

Hamden Police Acting Chief John Cappiello also said the Hamden Police Department is committed to working with New Haven and other nearby towns more closely.

State law enforcement has confiscated video and audio recordings of the incident as they investigate. Both New Haven Mayor Toni Harp and Hamden Mayor Curt Leng said they plan to release more once evidence is returned from the state crime lab. More is expected to be released Friday.

Hamden Police took another look at their pursuit policy earlier this year after several pursuits involving Hamden cops ended in fatalities. Cappiello recommended that the policy be changed so pursuits only happen for violent felony suspects.

Woman Shot

The incident started early Tuesday morning when Hamden Police got a 911 call about a newspaper delivery man being robbed at a Hamden gas station on Arch Street by a suspect in a red Honda Civic, said State Police Trooper Josue Dorelus, police spokesman.

A vehicle matching the description was found near Dixwell Avenue and Argyle Street.

Multiple officers arrived and attempted to box the vehicle in and officers gave instructions to the driver on how to exit the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle exited abruptly and turned towards officers, Dorelus said.

However, some are questioning the preliminary report after video surveillance of part of the incident was released.

Officers from Hamden and Yale fired numerous gunshots. A bullet hit Stephanie Washington, 22, who was seated in the front passenger seat. She was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital and is in stable condition.

Protesters blocked traffic on Dixwell Avenue and filled Hamden Police headquarters Tuesday. Driver Paul Witherspoon said during an interview with WTNH that police yelled at him to get out of the vehicle and put his hands up and that he was shot quickly after that.

Witherspoon was taken into custody and later released. He wasn't charged.

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp called the incident "unacceptable," according to the Hartford Courant. She called for written policies regarding other law enforcement agencies entering New Haven for incidents.

Under Connecticut law local police can make arrests outside of their own town for a felony without a warrant at any time or when there is an immediate pursuit from their town.

Below is Leng's full statement:

"Every time a gun is fired in our community, it has my concern and my immediate attention. Protecting as many people as we can, while also preventing as much crime and violence as possible, is arguably the core function of our hometown.
Please know that this incident is being investigated with the utmost seriousness that it deserves. The State of Connecticut is conducting a full investigation.
As Mayor, I will need to hold off on any further public comments to ensure nothing I say has even the slightest chance of tainting what I trust will be a comprehensive investigation and evaluation by the State. I intend to share the results of this investigation, and any other appropriate information in the coming days, to make the process as transparent as possible within the restrictions of a State investigation.
I commit to all today that I will continue this discussion and work together with Hamden's community leaders, law enforcement officials, clergy, and human rights counselors and advocacy groups in an effort to ensure that Hamden provides all people with the very best Police Services possible."