5 Charged, 1 Suspect At Large In Vernon Shooting

VERNON, CT — Vernon police have charged five people in connection with a shooting in the Rockville section of town.

Police were also asking for the public's help in locating a sixth suspect.

The daytime shooting took place on Prospect Street on Aug. 27. The arrests were made Tuesday evening after a search warrant was executed at 157 Union St. Those arrested were described as co-conspirators and accessories.

Jakwai Sosa, 21, of 157 Union St., was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree assault with a firearm and various other charges, police said. He was additionally charged with operating a drug factory, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and various drug charges related to the search of 157 Union St., police added.

Sosa was being held at the Vernon Police Department on bonds totaling $1.6 million and is to appear in Rockville Superior Court Wednesday.

The booking image of Jakwai Sosa. (Vernon police)

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Police said they are still searching for a second shooting suspect, 18-year-old Trenton Merrill, of 157 Union St. He has arrest warrants for attempted murder and other felony charges, police said. He should be considered armed and dangerous and anyone who sees him should immediately call police, authorities said.

Police released an image of Trenton Merrill:

Trenton Merrill. (Vernon police)

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Trenton Merrill's mom, 41-year-old Carlyann Merrill, of 157 Union St., was charged with evidence tampering and interfering with police, records show. She is accused of deleting home video footage after learning police were investigating her son in relation to the shooting, police said.

Police said Merrill refused to surrender her phone, which is believed to have contained evidence, and the phone had to be forcibly taken from her by investigators.

The booking image of Carlyann Merrill. (Vernon police)

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A 17-year-old boy who was identified as the driver of the vehicle who transported Merrill and Sosa to and from the shooting was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal liability to commit murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree assault with a firearm and various other charges, police said.

The boy was was brought to a juvenile detention facility in Hartford and is presently being detained, police said.

A girlfriend of one of those charged, 18-year-old Angela Raber, of Vernon, was charged with providing a false statement and conspiracy to commit the sale of controlled substances, police said. She is accused of providing police with a false statement related to her involvement in the shooting and is also suspected of being part of the drug trafficking conspiracy at 157 Union St., according to a warrant.

The booking image of Angela Raber. (Vernon police)

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An additional juvenile was arrested and charged as part of the drug trafficking conspiracy
involving 157 Union St., police said. He will be referred to juvenile authorities, police said.

Police Wednesday released additional details about the shooting.

According to a report, on Aug. 27, Vernon police to Prospect Street. Police said they located a boy who suffered head injuries after being pistol-whipped by two men. According to a report, one of the men pointed a pistol at the victim's face and fired one shot. The victim deflected the firearm to avoid getting shot, police said.

Others were present during the altercation, police said, and witnesses identified the suspects as Trenton Merrill and Sosa, with Merrill being pinned as the shooter.

A pistol was recovered from a storm drain on Ward Street after being discarded by a passenger in the fleeing vehicle, police said.

Soon after the shooting, police went to Merrill and Sosa's residence at 157 Union St. and located several pieces of evidence, according to a report.

During a search of the home, police seized a "large quantity" of drugs and U.S. currency related to a separate drug trafficking operation and investigators also seized surveillance camera systems.

Surveillance footage was also obtained from town-owned cameras, as well as images from private citizens that captured the shooting, the disposal of a firearm, and those who fled, police said.

According to a warrant, police believe the victim was targeted as part of an ongoing and escalating feud between two groups of young men that authorities have tried to diffuse over the past two years. Police said despite a lack of cooperation from the involved parties, officers have made more than a dozen arrests connected to the feud, according to a report.

Municipal officials said Carlyann Merrill had filed a Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities complaint against local police. Last week, she was charged with second-degree breach of peace charge after a disturbance at Town Hall. See the details of the incident here.

The Windsor Locks Police Department assisted with the investigation, which remains active. Police said anyone with information on the case can contact Detective Thomas Van Tasel at 860-872-9126 x 3767.