Hartford: Dog Dispute Led To Double-Fatal Shooting

HARTFORD, CT — Exasperated city and police officials have released new, disturbing details of a double-fatal shooting Sunday they say is a byproduct of an abundance of stress mixing with guns.

Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin Monday spoke about the situation for 18 minutes, saying the shooting that killed a couple with a newborn child started as a minor neighbor dispute over a dog.

Thody identified those killed as being 39-year-old Chase Garrett and 27-year-old Christine Dang, with a third shooting victim, identified only as a woman in her 20s, being in critical condition.

Bronin said the couple recently had a baby together, a baby, he said, that is now an orphan.

Meanwhile, police said they have identified a person of interest and they also have a vehicle of interest in their possession that officers confiscated shortly after the incident, which took place at about 8 p.m. Sunday at 67 Franklin Ave., a multi-unit building.

The investigation continues Tuesday, with officers hopeful of more developments soon.

Meanwhile, both Thody and Bronin decried a situation they say should never have happened.

"A preliminary investigation reveals this is a personal neighbor dispute over a dog," Thody said at a press conference Monday recorded in full and available for viewing on the WFSB-TV website.

"This is an example of a very personal dispute that escalated into violence."

Thody said police are still looking into the nature of the dog dispute, indicating there is no history of dog complaints out of that address.

Police said all involved in the shooting were residents of that building.

Bronin said this incident, like others nationally, is part of a growing trend of personal disputes escalating quickly into fatal shootings.

He said when the current stress of the times, from pandemic to economic worries, mixes with guns, situations like Sunday happen.

"This is a continuance of a very, very, very distressing trend that we are seeing, not just in Hartford, but across the country," Bronin said. "The presence of guns turned those disputes fatal.

"There is no reason that a dispute about a dog should turn violent," Bronin continued.

He said local leaders are "praying" for the recovery of the third, female victim who on Monday was still in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital.

According to Bronin, residents need to realize when a dispute is growing heated and walk it back, the goal being to de-escalate.

"We need our whole community to come together," Bronin said. "I think everybody is a little frayed."

Thody said folks should not be shy about calling police if they see or hear of a dispute among individuals.

"We can get out there and prevent a tragedy," Thody said.

Bronin said the preponderance of guns in society doesn't help the situation.

Said Bronin, "There is just a deep undercurrent of anxiety and stress. There are an awful lot of guns out there. I think we are seeing, time and again, that guns are not making people safe."

For the full WFSB Channel 3 report, click on this link.