NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A 16-year-old boy has died following a shooting near James Hillhouse High School.
New Haven Police Department Spokesperson Christian Bruckhart said officers responded to the area of Goffe and Hudson streets around 2:37 p.m. on Nov. 22 after receiving an alert from a gunshot detection system, New Haven Register reports. The teen, who officers found lying in the street critical condition, was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital where he later died from his injuries. The victim has not been identified but officials say he was a student at New Haven Public Schools.
New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson said in a news conference Friday that the shooting appears to be targeted based on video police obtained of the incident. Eight to ten rounds were fired in the shooting, he said.
Police detained a 16-year-old following the incident. Officers said the teen was in possession of a ghost gun but does not appear to be responsible for the shooting. The suspect is still at large.
New Haven School Bus Struck in Crossfire
A school bus carrying students from Celentano Biotech, Health and Medical Magnet School was struck in the crossfire. No one was injured.
“My understanding is that the bus driver acted quickly and told the students to get down on the ground to avoid the potential of anything awful happening to them and we’re glad that they’re safe,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.
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The bus driver was able to drive to a safe location several blocks away before contacting police. Another school bus picked up the children and brought them to Wexler-Grant Community School where they were reunited with their families.
One In Five Foundation Offers Reward, Volunteer Patrols
The One In Five Foundation for Kids, formerly known as the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, according to Fox. The money will come from its Crimes Against Students Reward Initiative, a student crime prevention incentive program funded through private donors, benefactors, and organizational contributions.
In addition to the reward, the nonprofit is deploying volunteers from its national STOPNOW citizen school patrol teams to patrol areas in the Hill House High School neighborhood and “known student bus stop pick up/drop off locations throughout New Haven,” a spokesperson said.
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According to the spokesperson, the patrols are intended to “minimize and prevent safety incidents from reaching school campuses while also providing extra encouragement and support for students and neighborhoods.” The volunteer patrol members’ training includes situational awareness, conflict resolution, and self defense. They are uniformed and patrol in groups of four to eight people. The New Haven patrols will include over a dozen members in an ongoing rotation, the group said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 203-946-6304.
