Hartford residents are calling for an end to violence in the city and gathered together Friday night to meet with city leaders and law enforcement officials.
Police chiefs from Hartford and surrounding departments joined Mayor Pedro Segarra, Governor Dannel Malloy and concerned residents for a community meeting at the Faith Congregational Church on Main Street.
It comes just days after 18-year-old Luis Anglero was shot with a Taser while police were trying to break up an unruly crowd.
The meeting was intended to open the lines of communication for better community policing, but instead, accusations were flung at Hartford police from neighbors who say they’ve crossed the line.
“You’re a threat to my community,” Angerlo’s mother, Maryann Yearwood, told police at the meeting Friday night. Yearwood and others accused police of using excessive force.
Malloy shared his reaction to surveillance footage that captured the incident.
“Watching that video, I was momentarily sickened,” he said.
But authorities say Anglero was aggressive and refused to cooperate with officers at the scene. He’s been charged with interfering with police and breach of peace.
“I think the charges need to be dropped, and I think that would be a good signal that there’s some type of good faith right now,” said Scot Esdaile, president of the Connecticut chapter of the NAACP.
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Police Chief James Rovella said the department has launched an internal investigation into the incident.
“I’m not worried about putting stuff out there,” Rovella said Friday night. “I’m more interested in a fair investigation for the young man and for the officer.”
Segarra said crime has dropped significantly in Hartford because of collaboration between police and residents, adding that the city is hoping to continue building that partnership.
Community activists said the city needs to resolve this week’s tasing incident before they can move on.
Anglero is in good condition and was released from the hospital Thursday.
