Authorities have identified the man who was killed in a police-involved shooting in Hartford on Friday.
Interim Police Chief Jason Thody said a routine traffic stop took a dangerous turn after the suspect drove off, attempting to get on Interstate 84 West on the on-ramp off Capitol Avenue.
Police said officers were eventually able to stop the car using stop sticks during construction traffic congestion.
Once stopped, police said they approached the vehicle on foot and the only passenger in the car exited and surrendered.
The officers were in plainclothes, but were identifiable, according to the police chief.
The driver, later identified as 41-year old Alphonso Zaporta, of Windsor, then became engaged in a physical struggle with police. During the struggle, Zaporta gained control of one of the police officer's firearms, police said.
A different police officer, identified as Detective Zack Sherry, then fired multiple rounds at Zaporta. Zaporta later died from his injuries, according to police.
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Sherry has since been placed on paid administrative leave. He has been a police officer in Hartford for 14 years and has no sustained citizen complaints and no disciplinary history, according to police.
Five officers were on scene when the shooting occurred and three of those officers had body cameras, which were recording, according to police.
Police said a separate loaded firearm, which was reported stolen from Springfield, Massachusetts, was located on Zaporta's driver's side floor.
Connecticut State Police and Tolland State's Attorney are now in control of the investigation.
“We want to get as much information out to the public as possible, and we appreciate today’s announcement that, following next-of-kin notifications, the State will now move expeditiously to release body camera footage and additional facts about the shooting as early as Monday," Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement.
Police said the last deadly officer-involved shooting in the city was in 2012.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 860-896-3230.
