New Haven police arrested a 21-year-old Massachusetts man they said tried to rob several residents who closed the door on him.
One of the victims followed the man on foot, called 911 around 6 p.m. on Wednesday and directed police right to the suspect, police said.
The victim called 911 and told dispatchers that he opened the door of his Elsworth Avenue home when the doorbell rang and found Kevin James Brenton, of Westfield, Massachusetts, standing there.
Brenton demanded money and threatened to kill the resident if he did not give him any, police said. The victim closed the door on Brenton and called police.
Minutes later, police received a call from another Elsworth Avenue home. The resident said his doorbell rang, so he looked out the window and saw Brenton pointing a gun at him. Brenton demanded money, so the resident closed the curtain and told his mother there was a man with a gun outside so she wouldn't answer the door. They too called police.
Another man told police he was remodeling the kitchen of a Maple Street home, answered the door when the bell rang and found Brenton standing there, fumbling for something within his waistband/
The man suspected it was a weapon and closed the door and police spotted Brenton on the porch and started chasing the suspect.
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As police pursued Brenton, they saw him reach into his waistband, stop running, turn toward the officers, pull out a black handgun and drop it to the ground, police said.
When officers ordered Brenton to the ground, he ran, police said. One officer tackled him a short distance away and Brenton struggled with officers and kept reaching for his waistband, where police said he’d hidden another gun.
Both guns were "Stinger" air soft handguns, one of which had a sticker on it with Brenton's name and date of birth, police said.
The victims identified Brenton and police charged him with seven criminal offences, including brandishing a facsimile firearm and robbery.
