West Haven Business Owner Charged After Man Shot Dead In Parking Lot

WEST HAVEN, CT — A West Haven restaurant owner is facing multiple charges after a man was fatally shot in the business' parking lot last fall, according to authorities.

Juan Reyes, the owner of Tropical Caribbean Latin Cuisine, was charged with possession of an assault weapon, illegally altering a firearm, and possession of a high-capacity magazine following the Nov. 26 shooting, West Haven police said Saturday.

According to an NBC Connecticut report, police responded to the restaurant after receiving multiple 911 calls about a fight in the parking lot. When officers arrived shortly after 2 a.m., police found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.

The man, whom police did not identify, was taken to the hospital where he later died, NBC Connecticut reported.

According to authorities, several arrest warrants were obtained during the investigation, including one for Reyes. Reyes was taken into custody Friday, according to authorities.

On Monday, prosecutors said in court that Reyes was not directly involved in the homicide, as reported by the New Haven Register. His bond was set at $100,000. According to Reyes' arrest warrant, it is alleged that someone brought an "assault weapon" into the eatery and Reyes is accused of placing it on a shelf until that person left, and then the shooting occurred about 10 minutes later, the New Haven Register reported. (Read more at the New Haven Register).

Police said at the time of the arrest, Tropical Caribbean had been temporarily closed due to multiple labor violations.

The investigation is ongoing. Police said additional arrests are expected.