Police ID Man Charged In CT Mall Shooting, New Details Released

WATERBURY, CT — Police on Wednesday identified the man accused of shooting five people at the Brass Mill Center in Waterbury.

Police said they have charged 19-year-old Tajuan Washington of Waterbury in connection with the Tuesday shooting that left five people injured, police said, during a press conference.

Washington voluntarily turned himself in at Waterbury police headquarters late Tuesday evening.

Police charged Washington with first-degree assault (five counts), risk of injury to a child, criminal use of a weapon, illegal discharge of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, carrying a pistol without a permit, and illegal possession of weapons in a motor vehicle.

Washington was held on a $2 million bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court in Waterbury Wednesday.

Police were summoned to the mall around 4:43 p.m. Tuesday on a report of shots fired, police said.

Five adult victims suffered gunshot wounds and were transported to local hospitals. None of the injuries were considered to be life-threatening, according to police.

Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said the police department is confident it has the person responsible for the shooting. Investigators conducted a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and seized weapons.

As of mid-day Wednesday, police had not yet recovered the weapon used in the shooting.

Police said the five victims range in age from 20 to 26, and they included one man and four women. Three of the victims have been treated and released from the hospital. The remaining two are in stable condition and continue to receive medical care, police said Wednesday.

The five people were patrons of the mall and knew each other, according to police.

As for the exact motive, police said they are still investigating, but it appears to have been a conflict that escalated to violence.

Police were on scene within three minutes of shots being fired, police said. Police used security footage to track the shooter’s movements through the mall and into the parking lot, and then as he entered a vehicle to flee the property, according to police.

Gov. Ned Lamont called Tuesday’s shooting a “terrible tragedy.”

“These are not random acts of violence,” Lamont said. “This started out with some sort of a beef, some sort of an argument.”

The argument then escalated into someone pulling out a weapon and badly wounding five people, Lamont said.

Meanwhile, the mall remains closed today, according to its website.

Mall officials released the following statement Wednesday:

"We are working in full cooperation with the Waterbury Police Department and local officials as they investigate this unfortunate incident. There is no ongoing threat to the public and we will open under normal operating hours once cleared by the city. We extend our sincere gratitude to the local emergency responders for their prompt action and will continue to closely monitor the situation."

Police and mall officials planned to meet early Wednesday afternoon to discuss when the mall can reopen.

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Despite the violent incident, Lamont encouraged people to return to the mall to shop once it reopens.

“Don’t let these guys scare you. I want you back here in this mall,” Lamont said. “It is going to be open very soon.”

Police are still urging anyone with information to contact the Waterbury Police Detective Bureau at 203-574-6941 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 203-755-1234.