Bridgeport

Man Arrested After Armed Robbery at Westfield Trumbull Mall, Six-Hour Long Standoff: Police

NBC Connecticut

Trumbull police have arrested a man who they said led officers on a pursuit after robbing a store at the Westfield Trumbull Mall on Friday night.

Officers said they took 24-year-old Eddie Lynch, of New Haven, into custody early Saturday morning following a six-hour standoff with Bridgeport and Trumbull police.

According to police, Lynch surrendered at about 1:10 a.m. at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Anton Street in Bridgeport, where he had crashed his vehicle during a police pursuit following the armed robbery.

During the standoff, authorities said they negotiated with Lynch to encourage a peaceful surrender. At times, police said the situation became tense and Lynch fired his gun at the officers at least once.

After Lynch's arrest, police said they found a variety of evidence from the jewelry store robbery including a handgun and stolen merchandise.

Lynch is accused of committing an armed robbery at the Zales jewelry store inside the Westfield Trumbull Mall on Friday night before the crash and standoff.

Investigators said shortly after 7 p.m., they learned the man entered the store with a handgun, which he used to shatter a glass display case. While he did this, police said the gun apparently discharged and fired one bullet. He then grabbed several gold chains and fled the area on foot, they added.

After the incident, police said Lynch left the mall and fled onto Main Street, engaging officers in a pursuit before losing control and crashing at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Anton Street in Bridgeport.

Authorities said Lynch was taken into custody on Saturday morning after a six-hour standoff with Bridgeport and Trumbull police.

Lynch was transported to Trumbull Police Headquarters where he was processed. He is facing charges including robbery, criminal possession of a firearm, larceny, criminal attempted murder and attempted assault on a police officer. He was held on a $500,000 bond and he is due in court on Dec. 28.

Additional motor vehicle charges related to the pursuit were included in the charges with a separate bond of $50,000, police said.

Lynch was also found to have an active domestic violence arrest warrant for assault and strangulation out of New Haven with an additional $20,000 court-set bond, authorities said.

Officials said Lynch is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a robbery conviction from 2015 in Bridgeport.

No injuries were reported.

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