An off-duty Yale Police Department officer shot and wounded a man near Southern Connecticut State University early Tuesday morning.
The New Haven Police Department has launched an investigation into the incident and the officer has been assigned to administrative duty as the University awaits more information, University spokesman Tom Conroy said in a Wednesday email to the News. Reports of the incident first surfaced Tuesday on the New Haven Register’s website, which said the officer identified himself to an individual wearing brass knuckles before firing one shot.
The dispute between the officer and another man started at BAR, the Crown Street nightclub, a source told the Register. The police officer left downtown and was driving on the border of the Westville and Beaver Hills neighborhoods around Fitch Street when, noticing another car following him, he stopped his car.
He exited the vehicle and identified himself to the other individual, who approached the officer with brass knuckles before being shot and wounded, the Register reported. Its sources said the victim received a “graze” wound to the neck or face.
NHPD spokesman David Hartman confirmed the Register’s report. He said Wednesday afternoon he could not give more details about the incident because he did not want to jeopardize the integrity of several ongoing investigations into the incident.
Hartman explained that both the NHPD and YPD were conducting separate investigations and it would probably be “several weeks” before official information is released due to the sensitive nature of the internal investigations.
Acting NHPD Chief John Velleca told the Register Tuesday that no charges had been filed against the police officer.
After the NHPD has finished its investigation, the University will conduct an administrative review in accordance with its internal administrative practices, Conroy said. He declined to comment further as the incident involves a Yale employee.
YPD Assistant Chief Steven Woznyk and Associate Vice President for Administration Janet Lindner, who oversees the University’s police operations, both did not return requests for comment Wednesday.