Leaders Seek Answers Following Officer-Involved Shooting In Hartford

HARTFORD, CT — Friday's officer-involved shooting in Hartford, which left a man later identified as Steven Jones fighting for his life, has local leaders searching for answers.

Disturbing video footage of the incident has made the rounds on social media since, with images showing Hartford police officers surrounding a man in the middle of the street, brandishing a knife.

Then, as the man walks toward the police with the knife, he is gunned down and badly wounded. Reportedly, he's still in critical condition in a Hartford-area hospital.

Over the weekend, local leaders weighed in on the incident, which is being investigated by the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General.

Saturday, Hartford Mayor Arunaan Aralampalam vowed that the incident, the Hartford Police Department's second officer-involved shooting of the month, would be investigated.

"There will be a full review of the officer-involved shooting that took place yesterday in the Blue Hills, and I will use my office and my voice to ensure it is done in a thorough, transparent, and timely manner," Aralampalam wrote on his Facebook page. "The public has a right to clear answers on this. I plan to make sure they get them.

"As mayor, I recognize that any officer-involved shooting impacts the trust between our residents and the Hartford Police Department," continued the mayor.

"Our city is grieving today. This is a heavy burden for our community to carry, and I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families and neighbors feeling the weight of this pain."

State Rep. Josh Hall, D-Hartford, also weighed in on Friday's shooting.

"My heart goes out to the family of the individual involved, the Blue Hills neighborhood, and to our entire Hartford community, which is once again grappling with the weight of a local tragedy. Any loss of life in our streets is a profound failure of the systems meant to protect us, and it leaves a lasting scar on our neighborhoods.

"In the wake of this incident, I am calling for full and immediate transparency. Under the police accountability laws that we have fought for in the General Assembly, the Office of the Inspector General is now leading the investigation," continued Hall.

"It is imperative that all body-worn camera footage and dashboard recordings be released to the public as soon as possible, as allowed by law, to ensure the facts speak for themselves. \

"While we must allow the Inspector General to conduct a thorough and independent review, we cannot ignore the ongoing need to evaluate how we handle high-stakes encounters in our city," said Hall.

"Our community deserves to feel safe, and that safety is built on a foundation of trust and accountability between law enforcement and the people they serve. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in constant communication with city leaders and the Inspector General’s office.

"We must work together to ensure that justice is served and that we take every necessary step to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future."

The Connecticut Inspector General's Office on Monday, March 2, released a preliminary report detailing what happened on Friday, including body camera footage of the shooting.

Friday's shooting was the second time in a little more than a week that police opened fire on a man wielding a knife.

On Feb. 19, Hartford police shot and killed a knife-wielding man in his apartment after a reported mental health check turned violent.

The family of the victim has announced their intent to sue the City of Hartford and the Hartford Police Department regarding that incident.

From March 2: 'VIDEO: Footage Released Of Officer-Involved Shooting Last Friday, Feb. 27'

From Feb. 27: 'Hartford Police Shoot Knife-Wielding Man Late Friday Morning: Reports'