New Haven

Chinese restaurant staff mourns death of delivery worker in New Haven

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The search is on for the gunman that shot and killed a food delivery driver in New Haven.

It’s the city’s first homicide of the year and as police try to piece together what happened, we’re learning more about the 26-year-old killed.

Pieces of police tape are all that’s left on Shepard Street in New Haven, the site of a crime scene Sunday afternoon. Police say it’s where 26-year-old Raviteja Koyyada was shot and killed while making a delivery.

“My heart is hurting. I don’t know what to say. That’s it,” the Chinese restaurant owner said.

The owner, speaking in his native Mandarin, was devastated by the news after he had staff go find Koyyada when he didn’t return.

The owner, who only wanted to be referred to as “Uncle” and didn’t want his face shown, said Koyyada came to Connecticut as a graduate student from India and recently completed his studies. He got to know staff at the restaurant and eventually started helping out with deliveries.

“Because he was a good person, it was like that,” Uncle said.

Investigators say Koyyada’s car was stolen after the shooting, but officers were able to quickly find it nearby and it was empty.

“We don't know if the delivery actually happened and this is just a crime of opportunity, or if someone was specifically sort of targeting the driver,” Officer Christian Bruckhart said.

Police are now trying to figure out a motive, but call this a senseless act.

“It seems like this guy was out just doing his job, and unfortunately, things went really bad,” Bruckhart said.

The restaurant owner said he’s looking to help Koyyada’s family in India any way they can and wants people to know he was simply an innocent worker.

“We thought he was a good person, and a good person is all that matters. That’s it,” Uncle said.

There’s no word on any arrests right now. Anyone who has any information is being urged to contact to call New Haven Police detectives at 203-946-6304 or the department's anonymous tip-line at 866-888-TIPS (8477).

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