Two police officers who were involved in a shooting in New Haven that injured a 22-year-old woman Tuesday have been placed on leave.
The shooting did not involve New Haven Police, but rather an officer from the Hamden Police Department and one from the Yale Police Department. Connecticut State Police, who are investigating, said both officers fired during the incident.
The Hamden police officer involved has been identified as Officer Devin Eaton, who has been in law enforcement for more than four years, including nearly three years with Hamden police. He has been placed on administrative leave.
Yale identified their officer who responded as Terrance Pollock, a 16-year veteran of the department.
New Haven Police said Hamden officers suspected the car was involved in the armed street robbery of a newspaper delivery carrier at 4:19 a.m. Tuesday in Hamden that they were investigating.
According to State Police, "the suspected party exited the vehicle in an abrupt manner and turned toward officers."
Surveillance video that apparently captured the incident does not show those movements. Witnesses saw police ordering both the man and woman to get out after they stopped shooting.
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Protesters are demanding that the officers involved in the case be fired immediately, the officers' body camera footage to be released and there be transparency in the ongoing investigation.
On Tuesday, Black Lives Matter protesters showed up at Hamden Police Department Tuesday night, demanding answers about the shooting. Another group rallied at the site of the shooting on Argyle Street in New Haven Tuesday night.
Police said the officers opened fire on a man and woman inside of a car Tuesday morning on Argyle Street in New Haven. State police said no weapon was found in the car.
But concerned citizens who spoke to NBC Connecticut, including some Yale students, still question why the officers fired their guns as the state’s attorney’s office continue the investigation.
NBC Connecticut has reached out to Yale for a statement. A police department representative said Yale officers have citywide jurisdiction.
“I write this evening to assure you that Yale will cooperate fully in the investigation that the Connecticut State Police and the State’s Attorney’s Office are conducting; when they have finished, and we can have access to the evidence, we will also conduct our own investigation into this matter. As the primary investigation proceeds, we will share whatever information we can as quickly as we can about the circumstances of the shooting,” Salovey wrote in a statement posted on Yale’s website Wednesday.
"It is vitally important that we refrain from making assumptions about the circumstances of the shooting: the facts of this case will be made clear through the investigation," Salovey wrote in a statement online.
As community members express their frustration, city leaders urge anyone who may have seen the situation unfold or who may have video of the shooting to give them a call.
