Hartford

Police Arrest Suspect in Deadly Hartford Nightclub Shooting

One person is dead and several others are injured after a shooting at Majestic Lounge in Hartford. Police said one of the victims who survived is a 30-year-old woman who was shot up to nine times.

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A 28-year-old Hartford man is dead, and four other people, including a suspect, are injured after a shooting at a Hartford nightclub over the weekend.

The investigation continues and police said the people involved knew each other.

The shooting happened just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday at the Majestic Lounge and officers who responded found five victims. Four of the victims were transported to the hospital and one of the four was pronounced dead within an hour, police said.

The suspect, who was also one of the people shot during the incident, has been identified as 30-year-old Joshua Saez. He is charged with murder, criminal attempt at murder, first-degree assault, criminal possession of a firearm and criminal use of a firearm.

Police have identified the homicide victim as 28-year-old Marquis Treadwell, of Hartford.

The other victims who were injured were identified only as a 19-year-old woman, a 30-year-old woman, a 34-year-old man and a 30-year-old man.

Police said Saez is accused of shooting three people - Treadwell, a woman with him, and a third unintended victim, killing Treadwell and injuring the other two. Saez was also hit by gunfire during the incident and was transported in a private vehicle, which crashed in the area of Franklin and Maple avenues.

He is currently under guard at a local hospital and held on a $1.75 million bond.

Police are still investigating who shot Saez and another victim.

Saez is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, likely from his hospital bed, according to police.

Three of the victims are in stable condition and one has been released, according to police.

Around 50 to 60 people were at the club when the shooting happened and police said there was an altercation before the shooting started and they believe at least two of the victims, including a 30-year-old woman who was shot up to nine times, were intended targets.

One person has died and four others are injured after a shooting inside a Hartford nightclub early Sunday morning.

Officers treated her and provided oxygen at the oxygen at the scene.

Residents of the Franklin Avenue neighborhood want to know what happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"For that to happen, knowing that it don't randomly happen…yeah it makes me wonder and worry…you know about what could be going out here…what transpired," said Lisa Gardner, of Hartford.

Reverend Henry Brown from Mothers United Against Violence believes better community policing could help prevent violence.

"I want solutions, I want something to happen so we can change the perception of why people are still dying in Hartford," said Rev. Henry Brown.

Mayor Luke Bronin previously said it appears there had been a dispute inside the nightclub that escalated quickly and it involved illegal handguns.

"We will review both this incident as the investigation goes on and what needs to happen at this club. It may be they need to hire a significant number of police officers if they're going to remain in operation at all," Mayor Bronin said.

The Majestic Lounge had another shooting incident a few months ago. While no one was hurt when shots were fired in that incident, Bronin said it prompted the city to be extra cautious and that's why officers were on duty just outside the club when the shooting started.

During a news conference on Monday, police said there have been "some challenges" at the nightclub.

On Oct. 19, there was a stabbing as well as a shots fired incident outside. On Oct. 4, there was a shooting outside the establishment.

The club provides its own security and police said a lieutenant has met with the club owner on several occasions and advised him that the city will enforce a city ordinance which will essentially require him to have police inside and outside the establishment.

Patrol officers had arrived around 1 a.m. Sunday, 27 minutes before the shooting happened, police said. They do not believe the person or people responsible for the shooting knew patrol officers were outside.

"They responded quickly. They ran towards the gunfire. They acted quickly to administer first aid. I think because of their quick and heroic response we may have well had fewer casualties and less loss of life than might have been possible otherwise," Mayor Bronin added.

Police are asking anyone with information or cell phone video of what happened in the club to come forward.

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