Graphic Police Video Shows State Trooper Firing Fatal Gunshots

NORWALK, CT — Just over one-and-a-half hours of local and state police video and audio from the Norwalk carjacking/chase/West Haven fatal shooting that occurred on Jan. 15 has been released by Connecticut State Police. See the YouTube video below; the video was posted with a warning of graphic content.

The suspect in the incident, 19-year-old New Haven resident Mubarak Soulemane, was shot multiple times and killed by Trooper Brian North in West Haven. Soulemane had displayed a knife during the carjacking and again to troopers before he was shot, according to authorities.

At various points in the video, troopers can be heard ordering Soulemane to drop the knife, and viewers can see and hear Trooper North — standing outside of the vehicle — fire his service weapon at Soulemane through the driver side window a half-dozen times.

"In accordance with state statute, the Connecticut State Police is releasing audio from police radio transmissions, phone calls between Troop G and Norwalk PD and a 911 call," said state police officials in a release. "Additionally, footage from three separate dash-cams and three separate body-worn cameras are being released.

"This footage is just one part of the investigation, which is in its early stages and ongoing," they added. "Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Central District Major
Crime Squad at 860-706-5656."

One of the troopers involved in the incident, Joshua Jackson, was accused of using a racial slur by the ACLU of Connecticut, state police said in a release. State police officials denied the accusation:

The ACLU of Connecticut has falsely accused a Connecticut State Trooper (Jackson) of using a racial slur during the police pursuit, Wednesday in the moments before the fatal police shooting of Mubarak Soulemane.

Every fatal police shooting is incredibly sad and traumatic to all the families and the communities
involved. The days and weeks following these incidents are often very sensitive to every culture.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who has been hurt by this death.

At the same time, it’s imperative that we are careful not to incite any further volatility. When we initially reviewed the video and comment in question (at 41:54 in the released video) we immediately recognized the word in question as “Mirror.”

As a result, following the accusation of a horrible racial slur, we had the audio and video immediately reviewed. We are 100% certain, the word “Mirror” was used and not a racial slur. Moreover, we reviewed the video closely. At 41:10 into the released video, the cruiser is seen getting sideswiped by the vehicle operated by Soulemane. You can see the mirror was impacted. 44 seconds later, the Trooper, while still operating on a crowed highway, makes reference to his mirror being offset.

We understand how emotional these times can be. We ask that everyone practice some restraint during this difficult time.

The Norwalk Hour writes that members of Soulemane's family and community leaders are questioning the shooting, in part because they do not believe Soulemane was given an adequate chance to exit the vehicle before he was shot.

Below is the state police release of the incident, which authorities said began with the carjacking in Norwalk on Route 7:

On January 15, 2020 at approximately 4:36 p.m., the Norwalk Police Department broadcast that they were looking for a stolen vehicle and provided a description of the vehicle via the Hotline. According to initial reports, Norwalk officers had responded to a reported armed carjacking, which occurred in their city. Norwalk officers subsequently located and attempted to stop the vehicle and the driver engaged officers in a pursuit on Route 7 southbound before Norwalk supervisors terminated the pursuit. A State Police dispatcher spoke with Norwalk Police regarding their BOLO (which stands for Be On the Look Out), and was told that the operator was armed with a knife. This vital information was necessary because the State Police Pursuit Policy adopted in September 2019 prevents Troopers from normally pursuing stolen vehicles unless the person pursued in the vehicle has committed, is attempting to commit or will imminently commit a crime of violence (actual or threatened), or there are articulable exigent circumstances that warrant the need to apprehend the suspect in a timely manner because of the potential for harm to the public if apprehension does not occur.

Soon afterwards, State Police Dispatch in Bridgeport began to receive calls reporting that a white Hyundai was traveling northbound on I-95 in a reckless manner; driving both along the right shoulder and center median at a high rate of speed. At 4:46 p.m., the white Hyundai was observed on DOT cameras travelling in the median at high speed prior to Exit 22 on I-95 northbound. State Police Dispatch continued to monitor the vehicle's travel via DOT cameras until Troopers were able to get behind it in the vicinity of Exit 36. Troopers attempted to stop the Hyundai and the driver struck two State Police cruisers and continued northbound before exiting the highway off Exit 43 onto Campbell Avenue into the town of West Haven.

On Campbell Avenue, the Hyundai struck a civilian's vehicle and was successfully boxed in by State Police.

State Police and West Haven Police attempted to get the driver out of the vehicle and initially deployed less-lethal means (Taser), which was ineffective. When the driver displayed a weapon (later determined to be a knife), a Trooper on scene discharged his assigned duty pistol, striking the driver.

Medical aid was rendered at the scene by State Police and West Haven Police until the driver could be transported by ambulance to Yale-New Haven Hospital. The driver later succumbed to his injuries.

There were no reported injuries to civilians, Troopers, or Officers on scene.

The Connecticut State Police - Central District Major Crime Squad (CDMCS) will be working with the New London State's Attorney's Office on the investigation of this police-involved shooting.

On January 16, 2020, an autopsy was conducted at the State of Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington. The decedent was thereafter positively identified as Mubarak Soulemane, age 19, of New Haven, Connecticut. Next of kin were notified and our detectives remain in contact with the family.

The Connecticut State Police Troopers involved in this incident were:

• Trooper Brian North, who has been with the State Police for 4 1⁄2 years
• Trooper Joshua Jackson, who has been with the State Police for 4 1⁄2 years
• Trooper First Class Ross Dalling, who has been with the State Police for 7 1⁄2 years

The investigation has determined that only Trooper North discharged his duty pistol. In accordance with Department policy, Trooper North has been placed on administrative assignment.

The Troopers involved in this incident had vehicles that were equipped with in-car cameras and they were also wearing body worn cameras; as a result, there is video and dispatcher audio. The Connecticut State Police and the New London Office of the State's Attorney will work to release this video footage and dispatcher audio in the coming days.

The investigation is in its early stages and is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Connecticut State Police - Central District Major Crime Squad at 860-706-5656.