Bridgeport Man Charged With Breaking Into Hickey’s Deli, Leads Police on Foot Chase

A 20-year-old Bridgeport man is facing numerous charges after he allegedly tried to break into Hickey’s Deli on East Main St., early Tuesday morning and then led police on a foot chase after he was discovered.

Shaquille Fothergill-McGriff was charged with third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, interfering with an officer/simple assault, possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

Police said an officer was patrolling the area of Silver and East Main streets around 1 a.m. Tuesday and saw Fothergill-McGriff kick in the glass front door of the deli three times “in an obvious attempt to break in.”

An officer turned on his cruiser lights to get the suspect’s attention and then used his cruiser’s microphone to order him to the ground.

Instead, police said, Fothergill-McGriff began running west on West Silver Street and then down Main Street Extension. Police followed in a cruiser and then another officer gave chase on foot. The second officer was able to tackle Fothergill-McGriff a short distance down Cooley Avenue and when Fothergill-McGriff began to struggle to get away, the second officer struck him behind his right leg with a baton. He was taken into custody after he stopped struggling, police said.

Upon questioning by police Fothergill-McGriff told officers “I wasn’t trying to break in, I was just having a bad day,” police said.

He said he ran from police because he didn’t want to get caught with marijuana.

Also found on Fothergill-McGriff were six small plastic bags containing a total of about 1.3 grams of marijuana.

Fothergill-McGriff is being held on a $200,000 bond because he is considered a flight risk, police said. He has no local ties and lacked identification when arrested, police said.