Shelton Man Arrested After Firing Rifle Near Schoolchildren In Bridgeport: Police

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 26-year-old Shelton man was arrested Tuesday morning after police said he fired multiple rounds from a rifle on Stratford Avenue, causing children walking to school to run for safety. No injuries were reported.

Jailan May was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, illegal discharge of a firearm and illegal sale or distribution of body armor. He is being held in lieu of bail of $500,000.

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According to Bridgeport police, a ShotSpotter alert detected three gunshots on Wilmot Avenue at 8:37 a.m. Tuesday. Seconds later, dispatchers received a call from a man who said he had fired his gun and did not know whether he had struck anyone. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection system.

Officers located May on Central Avenue, where he was standing beside his vehicle wearing camouflage body armor, police said. The vehicle had a broken window, and officers found a brick inside near the damaged window.

May told officers he had several firearms with him.

According to police, May said he had been parked on Stratford Avenue with his vehicle's hood open while making repairs when he noticed a man nearby who had previously threatened him.

May told investigators the man began throwing bricks at him. When one shattered his vehicle's window, May said he believed someone was shooting at him and fired his rifle toward the man.

Surveillance video showed May firing his rifle in the direction of children walking to school, police said. The footage also showed the children running away. School buses were nearby at the time of the shooting.

Students at Dunbar School and Tisdale School reported the incident to school officials. No students were injured, and administrators at both schools provided counseling to those affected.

Police said May possessed a rifle, three handguns, multiple magazines and dozens of rounds of ammunition. He also had a valid Connecticut pistol permit, which officers confiscated.

Another vehicle on Stratford Avenue was damaged by a brick during the incident, according to police.

"The Bridgeport Police Department is extremely thankful nobody was injured," Police Chief Roderick Porter said in a statement. "The children were not the targets of these senseless and irresponsible actions. We are saddened they have gone through this experience."

Porter credited dispatchers, responding officers and the city's surveillance technology with helping investigators make an arrest quickly.

"Our dispatchers and officers were decisive," Porter said.

Porter said the Connecticut State Police Firearms Unit was being notified about the incident involving a pistol permit holder.

"Owning guns and being issued a permit bring with it safety, responsibility, respect and caution, none of which was exercised Tuesday morning," Porter said.

The chief also addressed the shooting's impact on public safety efforts in Bridgeport's East End.

"We have worked hard to make the East End safer," Porter said. "Shootings there are down."

"We are determined to not let this undo our progress," he added.

The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bridgeport Police Tips Line at 203-576-TIPS.