Malfunctioning gun foils burglar’s plan

A New Haven man had a near-death experience during a robbery early Thursday morning. John Richie, 45, was delivering food in Fair Haven when a black male ran at him. Richie fled but was chased down by the man, who held a gun to Richie’s head and took his wallet, which did not contain any money. When Richie explained that he had no money, the man replied, “I have to shoot you then.” The man pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire. Richie then fled and escaped unharmed.

—Colin Ross

City celebrates family reading

New Haven is celebrating family reading this month. Between April 4 and April 17, the city is promoting literacy by holding family reading events in libraries, early childhood classrooms and family childcare homes. To encourage families to read together, the city gave every family with a preschool child in a family childcare home or a center-based classroom the bilingual book “Read to Me/Vamos a Leer.”

—Yale Daily News

New Haven counts

The census continues today, and New Haven officials are urging residents to be counted. New Haven Public Schools Superintendent Reginald Mayo is visiting MicroSociety Magnet School on Valley Street to promote the census and will be taking pictures with students as they receive “Census Advocate” stickers. At the event, Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and city aldermen will speak about the importance of the census and its impact on New Haven’s schools, infrastructure and economy.

—Yale Daily News

Uptick in burglaries hits Downtown-Wooster Square area

In March there were more than 29 car break-ins in the Downtown-Wooster Square area, a neighborhood largely removed from the recent spate of gun violence that has struck other parts of the city, NHPD Lt. Rebecca Sweeney said. The perpetrators of most of the thefts took unsecured GPS devices from the vehicles, Sweeney said. In an e-mail to area residents, Doug Hausladen of the neighborhood’s community management team said the New Haven police are conducting a joint investigation and have two possible suspects.

—Colin Ross

Bodies found in river, trash can

A passerby spotted a man floating in the West River near Orange Avenue between the West River Wine and Spirits and the Splash car wash Tuesday around 4:30 p.m. Emergency personnel pulled the man out shortly thereafter, and he was rushed to Yale-New Haven hospital where he later died. The body has not been identified, and police are investigating the incident. Thursday afternoon police found a man’s body in a Sheffield Avenue trash can. The body was taken to the medical examiner’s office and police are investigating the discovery.

—Yale Daily News

College Night on Broadway

Tonight is College Night, and between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. fried dough, cupcakes and sales will abound on Broadway. During the event, all Broadway stores, including American Apparel and J. Crew, will feature sales up to 40 percent. There will also be live music, free henna tattoos and free caricatures. The Cupcake Truck will be parked on Broadway throughout the University Properties-sponsored event.

—Yale Daily News