New Haven Police are investigating the city’s third homicide in a week after shots rang out in the middle of a neighborhood near Dixwell Avenue and Gibbs Street on Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s upsetting because my son gets off the school bus and he's like, 'Mommy what happened, what happened?'” Stephanie Suggs said.
Police said Shaine Barrett, 23, was shot to death around 3:30 p.m. Records of his criminal history show that Barrett was well known to police. The motive behind his killing is still unclear.
“It’s ridiculous. It makes people not want to live here. I want to move away from Dixwell Avenue,” Mayia Jackson said.
She is one of many residents who told NBC Connecticut they are frightened. Especially since a woman was found shot to death in her car just a few blocks away last Wednesday. The day before, another man was shot and killed near the corner of Elm and Kensington streets.
“You don't want to come outside. The kids can’t play outside, it's ridiculous,” Jackson said.
The homicide on Tuesday nigh comes just a day after the New Haven Board of Alderman approved a request to hire 80 more police officers. The city said it would also apply for a $1.4 million, multi-year grant to hire another six officers.
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When new officers are hired, they recieve seven months of academy training and three months of field training.
Police said the community also needs to help by being more alert and reporting suspicious activity.
“The assistance of this community is essential,” Assistant Police Chief Achilles Generoso said.
If you have any information on Tuesday’s homicide, call the New Haven Police Major Crimes Unit at 203-946-6304 or the New Haven Police Tips Line at 203-946-6296.
