Man Pleads Guilty To Killing Of 15-Year-Old Hamden Student

HAMDEN, CT — A man has pleaded guilty to murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Hamden High School freshman in 2022, New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr. announced Monday.

Jenigh Ward, 20, of Hamden, faces 35 years in prison when he is sentenced in New Haven Superior Court on Aug. 12, according to Doyle.

Ward’s guilty plea stems from the murder of Elijah Gomez on May 9, 2022. On that date, Hamden police responded to the Farmington Canal trail, near the area of Treadwell Street, on the report of shots fired.

Gomez, a freshman at Hamden High School, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead.

“The shooting was captured on nearby surveillance cameras and showed that Ward — along with two unidentified individuals — followed Gomez as he walked home from school,” officials wrote in a news release. “Ward shot Gomez multiple times and fled the scene.”

Ward was identified by area surveillance cameras, along with his car, clothing, and ballistic evidence recovered from his bedroom that matched the type recovered from the scene of the shooting, according to officials.

Police are continuing to investigate the shooting.

“Ward’s senseless act of violence ended the life of 15-year-old Elijah as he was innocently walking home from school,” Doyle said. “While Ward will be held accountable, we are actively investigating the identities of the other two individuals involved.”

Anyone with information related to the identities of the two unknown suspects are urged to contact the Hamden Police Department's Major Crimes Unit at 203-230-4040.