Willimantic Connecticut Shooter In Custody, News Crew Fired Upon
One officer was hit this morning after a Connecticut shooting in Willimantic, and police now say a man is in custody after the incident.
The circumstances of the shooting in Willimantic have not yet been made clear, but local reporter Kim Lucey of Channel 3 Eyewitness News tweeted:
“Just saw the suspect fire shots. My photographer and I hit the ground, called 911 … Suspect was wearing tan shorts, vest. Made motion he was going to shoot himself, shot toward street instead.”
The Connecticut shooting occurred in the area of Tunxis Lane, and the Hartford Courant initially reported that a male suspect had shot a female officer before fleeing, armed with a “long gun.”
The paper reports:
“The incident began around Oxbow Drive. Around 11:30 p.m., there were reports of shots fired in the area of Prospect Avenue near Route 32 … The suspect police are searching for is described as a white man in his 40s, 140 to 150 pounds, with a tan ball cap, a ballistic vest and camouflage pants … Initial reports indicated that the man was in the woods and has what was described as a long gun.”
The paper also indicates that the suspected Connecticut shooter was apprehended at 1:55 pm, but it is likely an error as the update was reported at just after 12:55 PM local time.
Over on Twitter, reports have emerged that on scene reporters were also shot at during the period between the shooting (approximately 11:30 AM EST) and the suspect’s capture:
Whoa “@steveyab: Our news crew was shot at during the search for the #Willimantic shooter. They are ok. Shaken up for sure… but OK.
— Shawn Reynolds (@WCL_Shawn) June 25, 2013
Others on scene tweeted pics live as well as scanner chatter:
Live pic 50 yards from the suspect involved in the Willimantic shooting #wegotem pic.twitter.com/NIaP7TH0Nh — Mike Chick (@mikedickchick) June 25, 2013
State police major crime has been request at a scene in #Willimantic where a body was found. Seems to be related to police shooting.
— David Owens (@daowens) June 25, 2013
Police have not yet released a name for the suspected shooter in custody after the police officer in Willimantic was shot.
