HARTFORD, CT — Six Connecticut Senate Republicans are calling on Gov. Ned Lamont's administration to increase its involvement in addressing violence in Hartford following a shooting that killed a Newington man and wounded four other people over the weekend.
Sens. Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, Paul Cicarella, R-North Haven, Henri Martin, R-Bristol, Eric Berthel, R-Watertown, Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, and Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, issued a joint statement urging the administration to work more closely with Hartford and respond to concerns raised by the Hartford Police Union.
The lawmakers said the Hartford Police Department is understaffed and at what the union has described as a "tipping point."
They called on the state to take several steps, including revoking permits, enforcing occupancy limits and objecting to liquor license renewals involving businesses they described as "problematic."
"People are getting shot and killed," the senators said in their joint statement. "And this is not just a Hartford issue. We are seeing it across the state."
The lawmakers did not identify specific businesses or permits they believe should be targeted.
Their statement follows an early-morning shooting Sunday, Aug. 16, on Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford that left one person dead and four others wounded.
Hartford police identified the man who died as Joseph Texidor, 32, of Newington.
Officers responded to the area of 737 Wethersfield Ave. at about 1:40 a.m. after receiving a ShotSpotter notification, police said. They encountered a large crowd and found Texidor unresponsive with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead by responding emergency medical personnel.
Four other gunshot victims arrived at area hospitals in private vehicles, according to police.
The surviving victims were described by police as two men in their 30s, a man in his 20s, and an adult woman.
Police reported the four survivors in stable condition after one victim had been listed in critical condition shortly after the shooting.
Police have not publicly identified a suspect or said what led to the shooting.
The Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene divisions are investigating.
The Republican senators urged the Lamont administration to prioritize public safety and provide police with additional support.
"Listen to the brave men and women on the front lines," the lawmakers said. "Make sure they have the tools and resources they need to keep the community safe."
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Hartford Police Department Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477).
From Aug. 17: 'Newington Man Identified As Fatal Shooting Victim In Hartford: Police'
From Aug. 16: '5 Shot, 1 Dead On Sunday Morning, Hartford Police Say'
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