A Meriden police officer is being credited with preventing a possible shooting early Wednesday morning.
Teleki Kindle, 24, was arrested after police said he confessed to purchasing a gun illegally and throwing it out a car window.
Meriden police said on Wednesday around 12:43 a.m., Officer Christopher Griffin was conducting checks in the area of Randolph Avenue after police received a tip that “something big was going to happen.”
Griffin noticed a blue Hyundai circle the area three times. Griffin tried to pull over the vehicle but the driver would not stop and Griffin was advised by Sgt. Michael Boothroyd to break it off.
Griffin continued to observe the vehicle from a safe distance. He lost sight of it on Columbia Street.
Another officer spotted the Hyundai and followed it. Officers pulled the vehicle over on Liberty Street by College Street. Police said they found prescription pills, marijuana, and a loaded handgun magazine in the car. There was no gun in the car.
Sgt. Boothroyd backtracked to Randolph Avenue where Griffin first noticed the car and found a .25 caliber Raven handgun in the road near John Barry Elementary School. The serial number was partially scratched off and the gun had no magazine.
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According to police, Griffin began talking with the passenger, identified as Kindle, who admitted he bought the gun recently and threw it out the window that night.
Police believe the suspects were doubling back to find the gun when Griffin first observed the Hyundai.
Griffin is being credited with stopping a potential shooting. Boothroyd was also commended for finding the gun and removing it from an area where it could have been found by an elementary student.
Officers Kevin Ruane, Michael Lounsbury, Brendan Connolly and David Buck also assisted with the incident.
