Cops Investigate After Man On Park Bench Shot, Robbed, Pistol-Whipped

NEW HAVEN, CT — A man sitting on a park bench near Watson and Bassett streets was robbed, pistol-whipped and shot Friday night, police said. Police got 911 calls, with shots fired heard on one of those calls, alerting them to the robbery and shooting, New Haven police spokesperson Capt. Rose Dell.

When cops got there, they found the New Haven man, 42, suffering from a gunshot wound and an injury to the back of his head, Dell said. Taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, Dell said medical personnel informed told officers the man's injuries are not life-threatening.

Dell said, "numerous personal effects" were stolen from the man during the course of the robbery.

Detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Unit and Bureau of Identification responded
to the scene last night to search for evidence, witnesses and video surveillance. Detectives
collected one fired cartridge casing by the park bench.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this crime or who may have information
valuable to investigators to call detectives at 203-946-6304 or through the department’s
anonymous tip-line at 866-888-TIPS (8477).