The man who is accused of shooting a loss prevention officer in the abdomen at the Shoppes at Buckland Hills in Manchester Friday appeared in court Monday, where the judge kept bond at $1 million.
The arrest warrant has been released and reveals more about the shooting and the investigation that led to the arrest of Richard LaPlante, 30, of Windsor.
LaPlante has been charged with criminal attempted murder, assault in the first degree and robbery in the first degree.
Police responded to the mall at 12:18 p.m. Friday after reports of a shooting and found a 27-year-old loss prevention officer, Tirsol Polanco, who had been shot in the abdomen.
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A witness told police that the person who shot Polanco was seen shoplifting and pointed a gun at loss prevention officers, according to court documents.
There was a struggle over the gun, and the fight continued outside of Macy’s, where the suspected shoplifter pressed the gun into Polanco's lower abdomen and shot him, the court documents state.
Polanco is in critical condition and will need several surgeries, according to police.
Footage from Macy’s showed the man, later identified as LaPlante ran across the street and hide near trash bins, where police found a gun, according to court documents.
Police said LaPlante was wearing distinctive clothing and CT Transit went through footage from area buses that showed him get on a bus near the mall around 1 p.m. and get off the bus in Windsor, less than a mile from his home, just before 2 p.m., according to court documents.
He turned himself in on Saturday evening.
If LaPlante posts bond, he will be under 24-hour lockdown and GPS monitoring.
He is due in court on Sept. 7.
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