Man Suspected in Bristol Liquor Store Robbery Appears in Court: Police

A Bristol man accused of robbing and brutally attacking a 50-year-old man at a liquor store on Tuesday night was arraigned in Bristol Superior Court on Wednesday.

Police arrested Kevin Whittingham, 22, of Bristol, in connection to the crime and a judge increased his bond to $75,000.

The victim, Kevin Masciotra, had asked two men who were being rowdy to quiet down at K&S Liquors on Park Street, according to police. The men started arguing with him and followed him to his car when he left the store. 

Masciotra was getting into his car, one of the men closed the door on his arm. The men then punched him and he fell to the ground, hitting his head and losing consciousness, police said.

When he regained consciousness, he was covered in blood and his wallet was missing, according to police. 

"They hit him with something. It must have been a bottle or a crowbar," said Masciotra's daughter, Alyssa. "The whole left side of his face was puffy. He was bleeding."

She rushed to the scene after Kevin Masciotra called and told her he had been attacked.

Police said Kevin Masciotra had broken facial bones. He was taken Bristol Hospital and transferred to Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford.

Alyssa Masciotra said her father is still in the hospital and will need surgery.

As police were conducting an unrelated investigation on Laurel Street, they recognized one of the suspects from the victim’s description and arrested Whittingham. They're still looking for his accomplice.

He told police that he knows the the store owner and was there with another friend when Masciotra entered the store and was being rude.

He said he told Masciotra to stop acting that way, bought a bottle of alcohol and left the store, but his friend stayed behind.

Whittingham denied hitting Masciotra at the liquor store or taking his belongings, according to police.

He told police he found the credit cards on the ground at Park and Divinity streets, picked them up and kept walking until officers stopped him, police said. The credit cards police found on Whittingham belonged to the victim and his mother.

Whititngham was charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, third-degree assault and conspiracy to commit on all three of the charges.

He's due back in court Aug. 28.

Police are investigating and ask anyone with information to call the Bristol Police Department at 860-584-3011.

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