Bridgeport Boxer, 20, Was Shot, Killed In Fair Haven Saturday

NEW HAVEN, CT — Just after 4 a.m. Saturday, the 911 calls began coming in to police that a person had been shot on Lombard Street, between Ferry and Poplar streets in Fair Haven, according to New Haven police spokesperson officer Scott Shumway.

When police got there, they found 20-year-old Kevan Bonilla, of Bridgeport, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Bonilla was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Bonilla posted to Facebook the day before he was gunned down.

Police ask that any witnesses who have not yet spoken with investigators contact the New Haven Police Department Investigative Services Division at 203-946-6304. Callers may remain anonymous or submit tips anonymously by calling 1-866-888-TIPS(8477), or text “NHPD plus your message” to 274637 (CRIMES).

This is the 17th homicide in New Haven since the beginning of the year.

A candlelight vigil was held for Bonilla Saturday night at the site where he was shot.

Bonilla was a boxer who, in 2017, won bouts at USA Boxing’s Junior Olympic, Prep Nationals and Youth Open Championships in West Virginia, the CT Post reported, which qualified the then 16-year-old him for national championships that year held in Salt Lake City.

A GoFundMe was created to help pay for his funeral expenses, which reads in part (translated from Spanish), that he was a "boxer who was greatly loved by family and friends..." With a $15,000 goal, as of Monday morning, so far the appeal has raised nearly $5,000.

Bonilla's slaying is the 17th homicide in New Haven this year.

The New Haven Independent and Patch have tallied the 16 homicides so far this year:

January

In January, Alfreda Youmans, 50, and Jeffrey Dotson, 42, were found dead by the police inside a Winthrop Avenue apartment, Jorge Osorio-Caballero, 32, was shot and killed in Fair Haven, Marquis Winfrey, 31, was shot and killed in Newhallville, and Joseph Vincent Mattei, 28, was shot and killed in the Hill.
February
Yale grad student Kevin Jiang, 26, was gunned down Feb. 6. Angel Rodriguez, 21, was shot to death in Fair Haven in mid-February, his body dumped by the Mill River in East Rock.
March
Dwaneia Alexandria Turner, 28, was shot to death in the Hill on March 16. On March 26, Alessia Mesquita was shot dead in Fair Haven.
May
Mariyah Inthirath, 20, was killed Saturday, May 15, on Sheffield Avenue. Hopeton Jack was killed near Orchard and George on Tuesday, May 18. On May 19, Tashawn Brown was shot dead across from Edgewood Park. On May 26, Adrian Barwise, 34, was shot in a Sherman Parkway home.
June
Miguel Ramos, 37, was shot dead on Springside Avenue on June 6. Richard Whitaker Jr. was shot to death on Columbus Avenue in the Hill on June 15.
July
Cierra Jones was shot on Truman Street July 5; she died July 7. Kavan Bonilla, 20, of Bridgeport was shot and killed in Fair Haven on July 10.