Man Charged After Firing Gun At Boy Who Allegedly Broke Into Car: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT — On Sunday, a neighbor of Tiquentes Graybrown called to tell him they saw kids inside his car.

Graybrown went to investigate and a short time later, he had one kid in his custody after firing a gun, and missing the 14-year-old, cops said. Now, Graybrown, who is licensed to carry and is a schools' security guard, is facing multiple felony charges.

New Haven police spokesperson Capt. Rose Dell, said around 12:30 p.m. cops were called to a report of gunfire on Hallock Avenue. When cops got there, they found Graybrown in front of his home, armed with a handgun, and holding the boy he'd "detained," police said.

He told cops that after learning kids had broken into his car, he "went outside, yelled at the kids, and they took off." He gave chase. One youth ran across the park toward Howard Avenue and the other juvenile jumped a white picket fence into the backyard of a house on Sixth Street, Dell said.

Once in that yard, Graybrown "confronted the juvenile and told him to stop running, because he had nowhere to go," police said.

Police said Graybrown reported that the kid "reached into his pocket and turned towards Graybrown."

"Believing the juvenile had a weapon, Graybrown took out his gun and fired one round at him," Dell said. The boy was not hit, put his hands up and surrendered to Graybrown, she said. Graybrown searched him and found a baby monitor that had been in his car, Dell said.

Cops checked out Graybrown’s car and found the rear driver side window was broken, and the steering column was damaged, Dell said. A records check found the security officer for the New Haven Board of Education has a valid pistol permit.

Graybrown was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal attempt to commit assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm, risk of injury to a minor, and second-degree reckless
endangerment.

The 14-year-old was issued a summons for second-degree criminal attempt to commit larceny.

In response to a question about this arrest, Dell noted that, "By law, you cannot use deadly force in the defense of property."

A spokesperson for New Haven Public Schools said there was no comment on the arrest "at this time."