Suspect Arrested In Shooting That Injured Undercover Naugatuck Cop: PD

NAUGATUCK, CT — A Waterbury man was arrested Friday in connection to a shooting that injured an undercover Naugatuck police officer earlier this week, according to police.

In a news release, Waterbury police said Jason Perez, 40, of Waterbury, was charged with first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and weapons in a motor vehicle.

On Wednesday, police said a car being used by officers assigned to the Connecticut State Police Violent Crimes Task Force to conduct undercover surveillance was shot at near the entrance ramp to Interstate 84 East on Chase Parkway around 10 p.m.

Two officers were in the undercover police vehicle at the time. The driver suffered a graze gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

The injured Naugatuck police officer has since been released from a hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, police said. The additional undercover officer in the vehicle was identified as a Wolcott police officer.

According to police, Perez is accused of being in the vehicle that shot at the undercover officers. He was arrested Friday and held on a $500,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court later that day.

Waterbury police are still working with state and federal police to investigate this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department's detective bureau at (203) 574-6941 or the crime stoppers anonymous tip line at (203) 755-1234.