Two Juvenile Males Charged With Firing Gun, Stealing Car: Southington Police

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Two male juveniles are facing a plethora of charges, including allegations the teens fired bullets over a highway in town and shot a bullet into a tree, Southington police said Tuesday morning.

In a release, local police said the incident happened Sunday with the investigation beginning at the Garden Path Florist site on Shuttle Meadow Road, Southington.

Police said they were dispatched to that location at about 1:15 p.m. for a report of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot.

Prior to police's arrival, the vehicle was identified as one reported stolen in Bristol, police said.

According to police, witnesses reported seeing two males in the parking lot dressed in black, park the vehicle and exit, walking toward Shuttle Meadow Road and Dunham Street.

Surveillance footage recorded in the area showed three males exiting the vehicle and provided a description of the males, including their respective clothing, police said.

Utilizing video surveillance footage, police said it didn't take long for responding officers to identify all three males, who were teens between 14-16 years of age, approximately 0.3 miles southeast.

Area residents provided additional video showing one of the juveniles running through an area yard wearing a black fanny pack, police said.

According to the SPD, a second video recorded two loud distinct gunshots, followed within minutes of video showing the juveniles walking from the direction where the gunshots originated.

Upon locating the juveniles, officers discovered one of them had a firearm concealed in a fanny pack, police said.

In addition, according to police, the fanny pack also contained a set of car keys belonging to the stolen vehicle.

In subsequent interviews, officers determined the firearm was discharged twice behind Dunham Place by two of the juveniles, who admitted to firing a shot from the handgun, police said.

Police said one shot was reported to have been shot over the highway. The other was fired into a tree.

As a result, officers concluded two of the juveniles, aged 14 and 16, were responsible for a variety of crimes, police said.

Officers charged the 14-year-old with reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge and carrying a pistol without a permit.

Police charged the 16-year-old with reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge, carrying a pistol
without a permit and theft of motor vehicle.

Both juveniles were issued a juvenile summons and released to their parents, with appearances scheduled in their respective juvenile courts.

Because of their ages, police did not identify the suspects.