Suspect in Milford Downtown Shooting and Robbery Incident Pleads Not Guilty

A suspect, who himself was injured in a Milford downtown shooting on March 1, pled not guilty to several charges during a court appearance in Superior Court, Milford on Tuesday.

Rumone Richard, 23, of Bridgeport, was in a wheelchair during the court proceeding, reports the New Haven Register. His attorney expressed concern for his client’s medical treatment.

Richard was shot by one of the victim’s in the double shooting incident. He remains held on a $500,000 bond.

Police say David Spencer, 22, of 4 Avon Street in Ansonia, and Richard, 23, were standing in front of 1 New Haven around 1:30 a.m. on March 1 when four people were walking back from Eli’s Tavern on Daniel Street after a night out.

Spencer and Richard ask the four people for a cigarette and they followed them into the parking garage, court documents state.

Richard and Spencer told the four people to get on the ground and empty their pockets, the Register reports.

One of the victims tried to remove the gun from Richard, but Richard fire a shot from 10 feet away, and the bullet passed through the victim’s neck.

A second patron, who has a license to carry a gun, pulled out a firearm from his back pocket and fired four shots at Spencer, the Register reports.

Richard continued to move in the man’s director, and the victim fired two more shots this time hitting Richard and causing him to fall to the ground. By this time Spencer ran off into the night.

Richard sustained serious injuries in the shooting, and Spencer was taken into custody last month. Richard said the robbery idea was Spencer’s, court documents state.

Spencer will appear in court on Thursday. He too is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Spencer was charged with criminal attempt to commit first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery.

Detectives served an additional seven outstanding arrest warrants on Spencer that were held by other law enforcement agencies for five counts of probation violation and two counts of failing to appear in court.

Richard was held on $500,000 and charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, four counts of criminal attempt to commit first-degree robbery, and other charges.

Read the full New Haven Register story here.