Five Injured in Waterbury, Connecticut Mall Shooting
Shooting Incident Shakes Waterbury Community
At least five people were injured in a shooting Tuesday at the Brass Mill Center mall in Waterbury, Connecticut, leaving local residents and authorities grappling with the aftermath. The incident unfolded around 4:40 p.m. Eastern Time as what Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo described as a “conflict” between two individuals.
Chaos erupted when one person opened fire, sending shoppers into a frenzy as they scrambled for cover inside stores. Emergency services swiftly transported five injured individuals to a nearby hospital. Their conditions remain uncertain, but fortunately, no fatalities have been reported so far.
“Responding officers found victims of gunfire,” Chief Spagnolo informed reporters during a briefing. “We do know that there were five victims that were struck by gunfire. Thankfully, currently, there is no fatal issue with this particular incident.”
The police chief emphasized that this was not believed to be “a random act of violence,” but rather an altercation that spiraled out of control. The suspect, who remains at large, was reportedly armed with a semi-automatic pistol.
“We recovered some evidence on the scene that’s assisting us in identifying the type of weapon that was used,” Spagnolo noted. “We’re hoping to identify the shooter through our investigative means and our forensic technology.” Surveillance footage is being reviewed in hopes of pinpointing the suspect’s identity.
Witness Javon Turner recounted the harrowing moments: “I saw people coming out of JCPenney and I heard some gunshot there, up top, and then it was right next to where Snipes was at. A girl got shot. She was losing a lot of blood. It was crazy, and I tell everybody, ‘Get out of here, let’s go.’ I tried to get everybody out of here in safety.”
Connecticut’s Democratic Governor Ned Lamont addressed the incident as “a tragic mass shooting” that disrupted a place where people should feel secure. “We are grateful to law enforcement, who acted swiftly,” Lamont remarked in a statement. While details continue to emerge, he assured the public that the Connecticut State Police will be assisting Waterbury Police with the ongoing investigation.
The governor expressed solidarity with those affected: “Our hearts break for the Waterbury community, the victims, and their families who have been impacted by this incident.” Such events remind us of the fragility of safety in public spaces.
Waterbury sits about 30 miles southwest of Hartford, Connecticut-a city now thrust into a spotlight it never sought. For more updates on this developing story, visit CNN.
