OIG Releases Prelim Report On DEA, West Haven Cops Use Of Deadly Force

WEST HAVEN, CT — After determining the cause of death to be homicide as the result of gunshot wounds to his torse and extremities by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the state Inspector General is investigating the use of deadly force in the death of Aaron Freeman, a 35-year-old Black man and resident of New Haven, by the West Haven Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, it was announced Monday by Inspector General Robert J. Devlin, Jr.

The incident that led to the shooting death of Freeman began last Wednesday morning around 5:30 a.m. at Mill River Crossing, a city Housing Authority-owned complex.

The West Haven Police Department and the DEA Task Force officers went to 719 Grand Ave., apartment 105, in New Haven to execute a search and seizure warrant looking for drugs, confirmed by New Haven Chief of Police Karl Jacobson.

Inside the two-story town home was Freeman and a 32-year-old woman "associated with the apartment" as well as an 8-year-old girl and a 52-year-old grandfather.

New Haven police had a presence at the warrant execution, according to police spokesperson Officer Christian Bruckhart but per the initial OIG report, no New Haven officers were involved in the shooting currently under investigation.

According to the OIG's initial report, the raid began with knocks on the door of apartment 105.

Police body-worn camera videos to follow include graphic, violent content

"The officers assembled outside, knocked on the door, and announced their presence. Upon their initial entry, officers encountered an adult female. In officer body-worn camera footage of the breach into the house, the woman can be heard screaming, "my baby, my baby."

"Moments later, Freemen opened fire upon the officers from the first-floor bedroom," per the OIG report. "One shot struck West Haven Officer Robert Rappa in the calf. Martin Scanlon, a Waterbury Police Officer assigned to the DEA Task Force, pursued Freeman and took cover in the stairwell leading to the second floor. There was an exchange of gunfire between TFO Scanlon and Freeman. The gunfire from the bedroom then stopped."

Quoting from the police report, Inspector General Devlin said that the "officers on scene then waited the arrival of the West Haven Police Department Special Response Team. The SRT, including West Haven Police Sgt. Joseph Riehl, equipped with safety shields, entered the apartment a second time. As Sergeant Riehl proceeded into the apartment toward Freeman’s bedroom, he was struck in the upper leg by a bullet fired by Freeman through the bedroom wall. Sergeant Riehl returned fire."

Freeman was shot in the torso and unnamed limbs, shots that killed him, police said.

Read the original story here.

Later, the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad recovered a firearm
near Freeman’s body, the IG said.

That same day, New Haven police called a news briefing as the incident took place in the city.

"Thank god, officers were not more seriously injured," New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. "And thank goodness the other members of the family are ok. We spoke to the girl and the grandfather this morning. You can just image how terrifying this was for them."

Also at the news briefing, Jacobson described what happened: "They knocked on the door, made entry and the shots began."

Jacobson said that officers "encountered shots" and there was returned fire. He said the suspect was "eventually struck" by gunfire and "succumbed" to gunshot wounds. Jacobson said the two officers were both shot in the leg. He described the incident as a "long scene" and not "just a shots-fired. He was barricaded in a room. More shots were fired. The suspect was not going to retreat peacefully."

Later that day, the West Haven Police Department issued a statement on Facebook.

"On January 29th, at approximately 5:45 am, members of the West Haven Police Street Crime Unit, with the assistance from the DEA were attempting to serve an arrest/ search warrant at an address in New Haven. During this incident the suspect fired upon police striking two West Haven officers in the legs. Officers returned fire and struck the suspect who succumbed to his injuries. Both officers were transported to area hospitals for medical treatment and were released hours later."

The Office of Inspector General, West Haven Police Department, Drug Enforcement
Administration, New Haven Police Department, Waterbury Police Department, and New Haven
Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office are conducting the investigation.