West Haven police arrested a dozen people in connection to two incidents in West Haven Monday night.
An officer was injured responding to a large crowd and fights at a city beach followed by a shooting up the road that left another officer injured.
While the mayor considers changes that could prevent this behavior from happening again, she is exercising her authority to close the city beaches sundown to sunrise until further notice. A step in a larger slate of options to prevent this from happening again.
“Usually everything is patrolled well and it's very seldom something like that happens,” said Jay Cummings, a resident of West Haven for 75 years.
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Police say up to 2,000 people were gathered along the shoreline near Oak Street Beach for an unsanctioned party advertised on social media. Police say the party was scheduled to start at 3 p.m., and it didn’t take long for fights to break out.
Five arrests were made related to the incidents at the beach, or as people dispersed.
“The crowd dispersed and disrupted businesses in the parkade and interfered with citizens enjoying the shoreline,” West Haven Police Chief Joseph Perno said.
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As people dispersed, gunshots were fired at a gas station on Campbell Avenue. Police tracked the gunfire to a car with seven minors inside. All seven were arrested and the gun was seized. A second officer sustained minor injuries during the arrests.
According to the city, the police department is still working through photos and videos obtained from the new camera systems along the boardwalk to identify more individuals involved or their cars. Officials said more arrests could still be made.
“We will not be tolerating this activity or this behavior in our city from out-of-town residents or our own residents,” Mayor Dorinda Borer said.
Twelve arrests were made in total, according to the police chief, but it's still unclear if the two incidents were directly related. The mayor promised she is dedicated to preventing this type of activity from happening again.
“In working with the police, we will immediately have more police presence on our beaches,” Borer said.
The city created a task force to focus on incidents like this one. According to the city, police and the city will beef up patrols along the beaches.
There is also discussion of hiring or contracting a social media monitor to catch potential disturbances like this one before they happen.
Borer said the city is also considering suspending some bus stops and will work with the Department of Transportation to determine if there is a system where the city can be alerted if there are large groups from outside West Haven coming in.
Students will also be discussing incidents like these at an upcoming assembly as well.
“To those that are not residents of our city, but those who are young residents, that these types of behaviors or actions will not be tolerated,” Borer said.
Police noted a similar incident Monday in Stratford as well, but couldn’t say if there is any connection.
