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Bridgeport Officer Accused of Hitting Juvenile With Gun During Traffic Stop

A Bridgeport police officer is accused of hitting a juvenile with his gun during a traffic stop on Friday night.

An officer said he was on routine patrol driving northbound on Barnum Avenue around 9:45 p.m. when he saw a vehicle that had been listed as stolen.

As the vehicle continued driving onto Jane Street, the officer said he activated his emergency lights and sirens and began conducting a felony stop with his gun unholstered and at the low ready.

The officer said he began yelling at the driver to stick his hands out the window.

Police said he noticed the juvenile moving around and ducking under the seat, popping his head up while facing the officer.

The juvenile continued to ignore commands to stick his hands out the window and instead opened the vehicle's door and abruptly exited, facing the officer, authorities added.

The officer continued to yell for the juvenile to face away from him and lean against the car, however, the juvenile would not turn around, police said.

While walking away, the officer said he watched both of the juvenile's hands drop to his waist line and feared the juvenile may grab a weapon.

The juvenile turned away and the officer said he could no longer see the juvenile's right hand.

According to the officer, when he feared the juvenile was reaching for a weapon, he used the magazine area of his department-issued gun as an emergency impact weapon and hit the juvenile.

The juvenile fell to the ground and with the help of another officer, police were able to handcuff him and conduct a search, authorities said.

Authorities said the juvenile told them that he found the vehicle when asked who the vehicle belonged to.

After the juvenile was in the back of a police car, an officer said he tried to ask for his information and noticed the juvenile had moved his handcuffs to the front when he was handcuffed with his hands to his back.

The officer said he asked the juvenile if he had attempted to discard contraband in the back of the patrol vehicle and removed the juvenile from the car.

While searching, police said they found five glassine wax paper folds containing an off-white powdery substance tied with a black rubber band inside of a clear plastic baggie in the same area where the juvenile was seated.

Multiple officers said they then unhandcuffed the juvenile and reapplied the handcuffs to his back.

Police said the juvenile refused medical attention after the incident.

He was transported to the Youth Bureau without incident and was released to his mother.

The juvenile is facing charges including larceny, possession with intent to sell, tampering with physical evidence and interfering with an officer and due in court on Wednesday.

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