PD Video To Be Released In Hamden PD Involved Shooting

NEW HAVEN, CT — Body camera video from the April 16 police-involved shooting in New Haven is expected to be available later this week after State's Attorney Patrick Griffin authorized its release.

Investigators and the State Attorney's office got a signed search warrant Monday that will allow State Police to examine the interior of the civilian vehicle involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, the lawyer representing a woman who was shot by police said that it appears the shooting happened without provocation.

Lawyer Mike Dolan said he will file a notice of intent to sue soon after Paul Witherspoon III, 21, of Hamden was shot at during an incident that involved Hamden and Yale Police officers, according to the Hartford Courant. Witherspoon wasn't hit, but his girlfriend Stephanie Washington, 22, sustained a non-life threatening wound. New Haven Police weren't involved in the incident.

Read more: Yale IDs Officer Involved In Shooting

Hamden Police put out a radio broadcast about an armed robbery attempt of a newspaper delivery man at a gas station. Witherspoon's vehicle was located a little over a mile away over the New Haven line. Witherspoon's uncle told the Courant that Witherspoon exchanged words with the man, but it was nowhere near a robbery.

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.

Eaton and Pollock fired their weapons. A bullet hit Washington who was seated in the front passenger seat. She was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital with non-life threatening wounds.

Read the full Courant story here.