NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) – Tuesday was a violent night in New Haven.
Two men are dead following four separate shootings in just a matter of hours and the uptick in violent crimes comes one week after the Elm City cut millions from its police budget.
Mayor Elicker and Police Chief Tony Reyes addressed the community on Wednesday afternoon.
At this time, police still have part of Whalley Avenue near Blake Street taped off.
They’ve been out here since just after 10:00 last night.
Police got a 911 call for a person who was shot.
We’re told officers found the victim, 33-year-old New Haven resident Ibrahim Valentino Shareef, Jr., inside a corner store on Whalley Avenue.
He was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police said Shareef was recently released from prison in March after being involved in a prior shooting.
“This individual was recently released from prison back in March, due to a shooting incident in which he was charged. Preliminarily we believe this shooting was retaliation for that incident,” Chief Reyes said.
Just four hours earlier, police were called to Munson Street after 40-year-old man Hamden resident Howard Lewis was shot outside a home near Sherman Parkway.
Lewis died from his injuries Wednesday morning.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Lewis was sitting inside his car on Munson Street when he was shot through the windshield.
Lewis’ 15-year-old son and 18-year-old brother were also in the car at the time of the shooting, but they were not injured.
In addition to those two deadly shootings, New Haven Police say there were two other shootings on Tuesday night.
A 20-year-old man was shot in the leg and just before 8:30 last night On Ferry Street. Police said the victim was seen driving a dirt bike before he was shot.
Chief Reyes said the victim is a known gang member and this is the second time he has been shot in the past two years.
An 18-year-old was shot in the Cedar Hill neighborhood on State Street. Police said the victim was in the car when he was shot.
Witnesses told police there was an exchange of gunfire from the victim and a second vehicle.
“We do know that three out of these four incidents, the victims did have extensive criminal history and we do believe that some of these residents are in fact connected to each other,” Chief Reyes said.
That brings the number of homicides this year in New Haven to 11 and the surge in violence comes when New Haven is facing a difficult financial situation.
In 2019, New Haven had 50 shootings and 11 homicides.
Last week, city leaders approved a budget that cut the police department by $4 million and eliminated forty-eight positions.
While most of those positions were vacant, the chief has said it’s going to make a difficult job, that more challenging.
In a statement, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, said:
“I am heartbroken at the increase of violence in the City in recent days and the loss of members of our community. Across the country, our communities are grappling with a stifling economy, a global pandemic, and an increase in gun violence. Chief Reyes and I have been in nearly hourly communication to determine how to respond. Our City faces a confluence of issues that contribute to the violence, and we are working closely with our partners to address these challenges. Our community has already experienced so must loss and pain – I implore those who are involved in the violence to do the right thing and stop contributing to further loss of life.”
The department is stepping up patrols and having members of the FBI and ATF ride with New Haven officers.
The State Police Commissioner is also making resources available to the department as well.
“The violence that happened last night and recent days was completely unacceptable and the behavior of those involved is something we cannot accept,” Elicker said.
During the press conference, Chief Reyes and Elicker were also joined by local elected leaders, church leaders, and community activists, all of them saying they need to come together and work to end this.
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