Shootings, Police Chase Ends With 4 Charged, 2 Held On $1M Bond: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT —At around the same time on election night that votes had been counted, police said gunfire erupted in the area of Hamilton Street and Grand Avenue.

It was 9:30 p.m., Tuesday night when Shotspotter activated numerous times and 911 calls began coming in to authorities with some providing descriptions of the two cars believed to be involved in a shooting, New Haven police spokesperson Sgt. Cherelle Carr said.

"Members of the Criminal Intelligence Unit and the Shooting Task Force were working crime suppression in the area of the reported gunfire," she noted, adding that, "Plain-clothes investigators were operating an unmarked police vehicle when they saw a vehicle fleeing from the area of reported gunfire."

Speeding away, the plain-clothes cops in an unmarked car followed, Carr said, and a perosn in the car shot "toward" the police vehicle.

A pursuit ensued, through Fair Haven, the East Shore district, onto the I-95 South connector and then onto I- 91 north, she said. The fleeing car was stopped in the area of exit 9 on I-91 south, she said, and three of the four people in the car tried to flee but were caught, Carr said.

North Haven and state police were involved in that capture, Carr said, and three firearms were recovered in this incident.

Police said an initial crime scene was secured on Hamilton Street, and a secondary crime scene was secured at East Grand Avenue and Lexington Street, where several vehicles and structures were struck by the gunfire.

No one was injured during this incident, Carr said.

Police haven't "identified that (the) alleged second vehicle (was) involved with the reported 911 gunfire.

Two juveniles and two adults were charged.

Tony Gibbs, 18, of New Haven, and Elija Black, 19, of East Haven, were charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, weapon in a motor vehicle, carrying a pistol without a permit, possession of a high-capacity magazine, larceny of a motor vehicle, and interfering with an officer. Black was also charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm and had multiple warrants out of East Haven, Carr said.

They are both held on $1 million bond.

“I commend the quick and brave action of the officers and detectives involved. They were under fire and continued to pursue the suspects and safely apprehend the suspect(s) who discharged a firearm from a moving vehicle towards the officers," New Haven Police Department Police Chief Karl Jacobson said. "The teamwork of our New Haven officers, North Haven officers and our State Police partners is commendable and honorable. This is an example of great work done by the police daily.”

An active investigation is underway. Further details regarding the incident will be released as soon as they become available. Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have information valuable to investigators at 203-946-6304 or through the department’s anonymous tip-line at 866-888-TIPS (8477).