Connecticut teen and half brother shot near a school

One boy is dead and his half brother is injured in a shooting outside of a school in Hamden, Connecticut. From an article:

Two teens were shot, one killed, shortly before 9 p.m. Monday near Butler and Lilac streets, police spokesman Officer David Hartman said.

Police say officers were dispatched to the area at 8:56 p.m. and the male victims were found on a sidewalk adjacent to Lincoln Basset Elementary School. The two were taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where one older teen was pronounced dead at 9:28 p.m.

Sources have identified the homicide victim as Taijhon Washington, 17. The injured victim has been identified as a 16-year-old, also of Hamden. He was listed in critical condition early today.

Hamden Public Schools interim Superintendent of Schools Christopher Melillo said grief counselors have been providing services at Hamden High School and Hamden Middle School. Counselors have been sent to the middle school, Melillo said, because students there once knew the victims.

“We’re very sad about this,” Melillo said. “It does impact everyone in the community, We’re here to support the family in their time of grief and support all of the students and staff who were impacted.”

Mellio said Washington and the injured victim were half-brothers. He said though Washington was not a current student of Hamden High School, a great numbers of staff and students knew him.

“A lot of sadness right now at the school,” he said.

7 year old Connecticut boy injured by BB gun shot by local teen

BB guns can be dangerous. We have reported on this blog about injuries and even deaths by BB gun. A Connecticut teen was shooting at some younger boys and injured a 7 year old boy with a BB gun as the boy walked by on the street. From an article:

New Haven police have arrested an 18-year-old accused of shooting a 7-year-old boy with a BB gun.

Police were sent to Fair Haven just before 5 p.m. on Sunday and a group of children said they'd been on their way from a local bodega, when they heard a pop.

The 7-year-old boy said he heard something wiz by his ear, then felt a sting, police said.

The children led police to Carl Gee Jr.  and identified him as one of the two young men they said were shooting at them, police said. (...) 

Gee was arrested and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, four counts of risk of injury to children, four counts of reckless endangerment and breach of peace and conspiracy.

Police said they are looking for his accomplice.

The victim's injury was not considered serious.

17-year old Connecticut boy unintentionally shoots self in groin

A 17-year old was next to a school, in New Haven, Connecticut, and had a loaded handgun in his pocket.  He unintentionally discharged the weapon, hitting himself in the penis.  He then ran into the school, where the Principal called 911.

The wound was not life-threatening.

From an article:

“Every witness interviewed said they heard one shot,” said Officer David Hartman, police spokesman. “He shot himself in the groin.” 

The victim is 17, according to police. 

The accidental discharge occurred around 3:15 p.m. in front of 78 Lilac St., according to police. The gun was in the man’s pants, police said. Police currently don’t suspect a nearby gray Acura with a broken window was hit a bullet in this particular incident. 

There appeared to be no glass on the ground near where the car was found, Hartman said. 

“We see that the vast majority of groin shots are accidental discharges,” he said. 

The 17-year-old male ran into nearby Lincoln-Bassett School, said Lt. Jeff Hoffman. 

Another person was coming out of a locked vestibule, which is when he entered the school. 

He then asked the school principal for help. The principal called 911.

The article didn't say how the boy got hold of the weapon.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Connecticut Grandmother kills grandsons and herself

This sad story is making news in Connecticut where a grandmother shot her 2 grandsons and then herself. From an article:

The family of two young boys killed in an apparent-murder suicide — and state police — said Thursday they want to know why the boys' grandmother, with an apparent history of mental health problems, had access to the revolver used in the shooting.

The shooting has added urgency to a legislative review of access to guns that is already under way in Connecticut, where a troubled 20-year-old man gunned down 26 people, including 20 first-graders, on the opposite side of the state at a Newtown school on Dec. 14.

The two boys' grandmother, 47-year-old Debra Denison, was supposed to take them from a day care to a birthday party Tuesday but instead drove to a nearby lake where she and the children were found shot to death after a frantic search. Police said the gun had been taken from her home, and one relative said it apparently belonged to Denison's husband.

"It was in the house, which is hard to believe," said Marcia White, a paternal great-grandmother of the boys, who said Denison's struggles with mental health were well known to the family. (...) 

After leaving a suicide note, Denison drove alone Tuesday to the day care center in North Stonington, where she picked up 2-year-old Alton Perry and 6-month-old Ashton Perry. It was Alton's birthday.

The staff at the day care said Denison was on the list of people authorized to collect the children, and nothing seemed amiss — the grandmother was friendly and talkative as she loaded the children in her van. The bodies of Denison and the children were found several hours later.

Robert White said the boys' parents, Jeremy and Brenda Perry, know the day care followed protocol and do not blame it for what happened.

A spokeswoman for the state police, Sgt. Donna Tadiello, said the investigation will look at who purchased the revolver, how Denison obtained it and her history of mental illness.

"Everything about that weapon, we'll try to uncover as much information as possible," Tadiello said.

And now a 2 year old and a 6 month old baby are senselessly dead.

Grandmother shoots and kills two young grandsons and self

47-year-old Debra Denison, of Preston, Connecticut, picked up her grandsons, 2-year-old Alton Perry and 6-year-old Ashton Perry, from daycare and was supposed to take them home for a birthday celebration for Alton.  Instead, she shot and killed both boys before turning the gun on herself.  From an article:

Family members said Denison had bipolar disorder and a history of mental health problems.
Denison was armed with a gun when she left her home Tuesday afternoon and had permission to pick up the boys from daycare.
The bodies were found at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, about two hours after state police issued a statewide Amber Alert for Denison and the boys.

The victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre

On December 14, a deranged young man, Adam Lanza, shot his mother to death, then chose to target the Sandy Hook Elementary school.  Armed with his mother's .223 Bushmaster AR-15 semi-auto assault rifle and two handguns, multiple 30-round high-capacity ammo clips, and wearing body armor, Lanza shot out the glass in a door and entered the school office.  He attacked the office staff, shooting and killing the principal and a psychologist, then proceeded to at least two classrooms.  In a matter of minutes, he had shot 20 small children to death, all were 6 or 7 years old, and four more adult staff members and teachers.  When police arrived, he then shot himself in the head with a pistol, killing himself.

Here you can find a full gallery and description of each of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/16/remembering-the-victims-of-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting/

Charlotte Bacon, 6
Daniel Barden, 7
Rachel Davino, 29
Olivia Engel, 6
Josephine Gay, 7
Ana M Marquez-Greene, 6
Dylan Hockley, 6
Dawn Hochsprung, 47
Madeline F. Hsu, 6
Catherine V. Hubbard, 6
Chase Kowalski, 7
Jesse Lewis, 6
James Mattioli, 6
Grace McDonnell, 7
Anne Marie Murphy, 52
Emilie Parker, 6
Jack Pinto, 6
Noah Pozner, 6
Caroline Previdi, 6
Jessica Rekos, 6
Avielle Richman, 6
Lauren Rousseau, 30
Mary Sherlach, 56
Victoria Soto, 27
Benjamin Wheeler, 6
Allison N Wyatt, 6

President Obama has since called for stronger gun regulation and a renewed ban on assault weapons, as have a large number of other national figures.

The President has also visited Newtown and addressed the mourning community and nation.

Our children and teachers deserve to go to school without the fear of guns in their classrooms or madmen armed with assault rifles storming their school.

ADDENDUM (12/20/12):  There are many, many related posts on this tragedy, but here is a good one regarding the names of the victims and the meaning of them to a mourning nation.

President Obama speaks about the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre

Today, President Obama gave some remarks about the massacre of 20 young children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut, by a lone gunman, Adam Lanza.

Below is the video and transcript of the President's remarks:


Transcript: 

This afternoon, I spoke with Governor Malloy and FBI Director Mueller.  I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource that he needs to investigate this heinous crime, care for the victims, counsel their families. 

We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years.  And each time I learn the news I react not as a President, but as anybody else would -- as a parent.  And that was especially true today.  I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.  

The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.  They had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own.  Among the fallen were also teachers -- men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams.  

So our hearts are broken today -- for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost.  Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain.  

As a country, we have been through this too many times.  Whether it’s an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago -- these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.  And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics. 

This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another.  But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight.  And they need all of us right now.  In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans.  And I will do everything in my power as President to help. 

Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need -- to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours. 

May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.

Thank you, Mr. President.  Now let's change our pain and anger into action to stop this from happening again.

UPDATE (12/16/12):  President Obama visited Newtown today, to offer word of condolence in person.  In his words:

"What choice do we have?" Obama said. "Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard?" 

In a vigil for the fallen, in a moment of grief that spread around the world, Obama conceded that none of his words would match the sorrow. But he declared to the community of Newtown: "You are not alone."

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14-year old Connecticut boy brings Airsoft pellet gun to school

A 14-year old boy was caught on the school bus showing off a realistic-looking Airsoft pellet gun that he was bringing to school.

From an article:

Police said a 14-year-old boy was showing off a fake firearm. They described it as an airsoft style pistol. 

Students said he painted it black. 

"He pretended that it was a real gun and some people were a little scared, but then they found out later it was a fake gun, so the worry kinda subsided," Gardner said. 

"Like I wouldn't know if it was a real gun or not, so I would probably stay silent, but props to the kid who told his parents," Leichgman said. 

Students say police greeted the freshman at school after some quick thinking of a fellow student who texted his parents of when he saw the unloaded weapon. 

It's situation students say they're taught how to react to. 

"Throughout the year we have lock-downs, just once every couple of months, and just so we know how to handle it and what to do," Jablonski said. 

The child is charged with Possession of a Weapon on School Grounds, Carrying a facsimile firearm, and Breach of Peace.

As we have demonstrated here at Kid Shootings, pellet guns and BB guns, particularly realistic-looking Airsoft guns, have been used to intimidate, rob, injure, and even kill, including in schools.  These are not toys.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

16-month old boy injured by drive-by stray bullet in Connecticut

Tramire Miller, age 16-months

16-year old Tramire Miller was shot and injured in the abdomen while sitting outside his home in New Haven, Connecticut, by an apparent stray bullet.

From an article:

A stray bullet hit Tramire Miller in the abdomen while he was sitting with family on the front stoop of a home on Kensington St. on October 10.  

He was rushed to surgery and has since been released from the hospital. 

Police said they believe the two suspects are members or associates of the Grape Street Crips based in New Haven and the shooting stemmed from a feud with a rival gang.
Tramire's father, Timothy Miller, said he does not believe his son was targeted, but does not feel safe in his neighborhood. 

“I think he was just caught in the middle of a cross-fire that anybody could've gotten hit,” Timothy Miller said. "I'm not comfortable now, letting him out of my sight. It's serious." 

Police have also seized two guns that were allegedly fired during the drive-by. 

New Haven Police said that they expect to make more arrests in connection with this incident.

A related article and video, with more details on the shooting and gang members who did the shooting.

Bullets don't know when to stop.

15-year old Connecticut boy shot to death by father during robbery

Tyler Giuliano, age 15

When Jeffrey Giuliano's sister, who lived next door to him in New Fairfield, Connecticut, called him to report an intruder breaking in, Giuliano came running with his gun. He confronted a man dressed in black clothes and ski mask outside her house and shot him to death, thinking him armed with a "shiny object" in his hands.  It was only then that he discovered the intruder was actually his own son, 15-year old Tyler Giuliano.  Tyler was apparently unarmed.

From an article:

A woman in the home believed someone was trying to break in so she called her brother, Jeffrey Giuliano, who lives next door, CBS 2′s Lou Young reported. 

Giuliano charged across the lawn with his personal gun in his hand and confronted a man dressed in black and wearing a ski mask, Young reported. 

There appeared to be a weapon in the masked intruder’s hand, Young reported. Jeffrey Giuliano fired and the intruder fell to the ground. 

There appeared to be a weapon in the masked intruder’s hand, Young reported. Jeffrey Giuliano fired and the intruder fell to the ground. 

It was then that Giuliano realized that the person he shot and killed was his own son.
“I can’t imagine what he felt when he took the mask off,” New Fairfield resident Tin DiKit told Young. 

When police officers arrived at the scene, they found a distraught Giuliano, a fifth-grade science teacher, distraught with grief, Young reported. 

Tyler, a 10th Grader at New Fairfield High School, was pronounced dead at the scene.

So far no charges have been filed.

UPDATE (9/29/12):  From another article:

Tyler was a student at New Fairfield High School and a Civil Air Patrol cadet. Some of those who knew him said he enjoyed spending time with family and flying gliders and small planes. He was adopted by Giuliano and his wife a few years ago, friends said.

One classmate said many students were baffled by what happened.

"I just thought it was so weird when I heard because I knew Tyler, not very well, but he was just a sweet person and he always made everyone laugh. I met him in the chorus room, actually, and he just wasn't the type to do what happened," said Erin Pallas, 16. "So it didn't make sense to us. It doesn't make sense to the student body."

Brett Rasile, a 14-year-old friend, said he and Tyler were playing an online game called Minecraft while talking and laughing together via Skype until about 10 p.m. Wednesday, when Tyler said he had to go to bed. Brett said Tyler wasn't in any trouble that he knew of, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Same old Tyler. He was perfectly fine," Brett said. "He didn't really leave any evidence, any hints towards what he would do."

Alicia Roy, New Fairfield superintendent of schools, said the elder Giuliano grew up in the town, holds summer music and zoology camps for his students and plays guitar in a local rock band that raises money for charity. He is affectionately known as "Mr. G" around Meeting House Hill School.

"He was the teacher you requested in the fifth grade. He was a great teacher. All the kids loved him," said Rosemary Rasile, Brett's mother.

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7 year old Connecticut boy accidentally shoots neighbor

There is an unanswered question in this incident that will likely come to light. How did a 7 year old Connecticut boy get his hands on his neighbor's gun and then accidentally shoot him in the chest? From the article:

State Police said the 7-year-old boy accidentally shot his 51-year-old neighbor Anthony Joseph Delucia, in the upper chest.

Police said the shooting appears to be accidental, and the weapon used appears to be a small caliber handgun legally registered to Delucia.

Delucia was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury.

He is being treated for non-life threatening injuries and his condition is stable. 

From another article:

According to Mayor Robert J. Chatfield, Delucia is the town's local trash man.

"He is loved by everyone in town," said Chatfield.

State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said he believes no charges will be filed and the investigation is still ongoing.

One more article:

Non-life threatening injuries for a Prospect man who was accidentally shot in the chest by a seven-year-old boy and neighbor. The boy apparently got a hold of Anthony Delucia’s, 52, handgun at Delucia’s home at 13 Summit Road, Prospect, and fired a shot.

Delucia was wounded, taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury and is reportedly in stable condition.

He did have a permit for the handgun used in the accident, which remains under investigation.

 Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Man with AR-15 assault rifle threatens group with children over road rage incident

A man in Ledyard, Connecticut, was pulling out of his driveway when another man in a white Cadillac nearly hit him.  The man came back later and pointed his AR-15 assault rifle out of the window at the group, which included a number of children.  The police were called and the man was arrested, his assault rifle at his side.

From an article:

Kevin Kovalik said Monday he was among the group that Richmond threatened around 5:20 p.m. Sunday. Kovalik said he was pulling out of his mother's driveway and was almost sideswiped by Richmond's white Cadillac at the intersection of Shewville Road and Whitford Road after Richmond drove through a stop sign. An argument ensued, Kovalik said, before Richmond drove away. Kovalik said at the time, a large group, including his three children, were in the front yard of his mother's house, next to the intersection.

Kovalik said he called police because of Richmond's erratic driving.

According to a prosecutor's report, Richmond returned to the scene a short time later and pointed the gun out the window as he drove by the house.

"Several children were present and saw the barrel of the rifle pointed at them," Officer Rick McSwain wrote in his report.

After a second 911 call came in about Richmond, McSwain located Richmond's vehicle and followed it into the parking lot of the Pumpkin Hill Market. He ordered Richmond to stay in the car, but, the report said, Richmond exited the vehicle and walked toward the store.

"I drew my weapon and ordered the operator to stop and get on the ground to which he complied," McSwain wrote.

After Richmond was apprehended, police found a Stag Arms AR-15 223 caliber rifle in plain view on the backseat of the car. The weapon was unloaded, police said, but a single 223-caliber round was on the floor of the car and a magazine inserted in the weapon. In a statement, Richmond told police the gun was his but denied pointing it out the window.

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15-year old girl killed, two other teens wounded, at Connecticut sweet-sixteen party

An image of Keijahnae "Nu Nu" Robinson, age 15,

 

A group of teens were at a "sweet sixteen" party in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when two men opened fire on the home.  On the porch were three teenagers.  15-year old Keijahnae "Nu Nu" Robinson was struck in the head and died from her wound.  A 15-year old boy and a 17-year old girl were also wounded, but are recovering.

From an article:

Peppered with questions, Williamson could only answer: "Why my sister? Who's giving out these guns? What happened to that curfew?"
....
"We're losing our babies out there," said Newton, whose daughter, Kayla, was a classmate of Robinson's at both the New Life Academy and until Saturday Bullard-Havens Technical High School. "I'm telling families we got to get together and do something. Today it was Nu Nu. Tomorrow it could be your child."
....
Not long before the shooting, Robinson and her two friends left a Sweet 16 birthday party at the White Eagle Club on East Washington Avenue. Club security cut the party short after a fight broke out. Everyone was sent home, until a parent invited the departing guests to resume the festivities at her Brooks Street home. Robinson and two friends accepted the invite and were talking on the porch at 449-51 Brooks St. when two gunmen perched at the corner of Stillman and Brooks streets opened fire, striking the trio. Witnesses saw them flee east on Stillman Street in a dark-colored car.

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5-year old Connecticut boy brings replica gun to school for show and tell

A 5-year old boy in Lebanon, Connecticut, was caught with a replica antique gun in his backpack, which he had brought to school to show other kids.  He was caught with it in his backpack on the school bus, on the way home.  Parents were outraged or the lack of notification from the school.

From the article:

According to Connecticut State Police, on Tuesday, May 22, the afternoon bus driver was delivering students to their homes when she became aware that one of the kindergarten students had a gun in his/her backpack.

It was determined that the gun was not loaded or even working. The bus driver returned it to the child’s parents, according to police.
....
In an interview today, State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said the incident was “blown out of proportion” because the gun actually was an antique replica that was incapable of being fired.

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3-year old girl injured by gang crossfire in Connecticut

A 3-year old was with her mother in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when they got caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting, where a gunman opened fire on a man on the street, shooting around 25 rounds, according to a witness.

The girl was injured in the buttocks but is expected to recover.

UPDATE (5/13/12):  According to a follow-up news video, the toddler's name is Caitlin Gordon, and her mother as Partina Murphy.  A 20-year old young man was also shot in the hand.  The incident happened in front of an elementary school.

Connecticut man pulls gun on 12-year old girl because she nicked his car

A 12-year old girl in Norwalk, Connecticut, accidentally bumped a man's car with her family's car door.  The man got angry and eventually pulled a gun on the girl and her family before fleeing.

From the article:

Police say Pelle became agitated and started swearing at the girl and her family and that's when the girl's father stepped in.

"The gentleman feared for safety of his children because the gentleman was big guy, over 6 feet tall, 300 pounds and he had 3 kids in the car, so he ended up taking a baseball bat out of his car to protect his children," said Sgt. Lisa Cotta.

That's when police say Pelle pulled out his gun. He took off, but not before witnesses took down his license plate and called police.

"I just couldn't believe it happened over nicking a car and I understand things are very expensive to fix and that might have been the last straw for this gentleman, but you really have to put things in perspective," Sgt. Cotta said. "Maybe count to ten, take a deep breath, really put things in scope. So yea, it was really quite bad."

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Mother and child robbed at gunpoint while guns stolen from home

Two men entered a Norwalk, Connecticut home and held a mother and child at gunpoint while they robbed the place.

From the article:

Norwalk police are investigating a report of a home invasion robbery in which a mother and child were held at gunpoint.

 According to police, a safe containing two handguns and a significant amount of ammunition was taken.

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14-year old boy shot in head in street attack

14-year old Justin Thompson had been attending a party and was walking home with two young adult friends, Benny Turner, 21, and Travon Phidd, 20. They were approached by two men, and then the two men started shooting.

From one article:

Thompson, a student at Barnum School, took a shot in the head.

He was taken to Bridgeport Hospital where he died shortly thereafter.

Turner, of Mill Hill Avenue, suffered a gunshot wound to the hand and Phidd, of Seaview Avenue, was shot in the leg.

Both men were also taken to Bridgeport Hospital, where they were treated then released.

An anti-violence march is planned for this coming Wednesday.

From another article:

The Seaview Avenue memorial for the victim was set up in part by Arlene Mercer, of Stratford Avenue on the East End, who has set up many others like it over the years for homicide victims in the city as well as for others who have met an untimely end.

"This one really hurt. He was just a baby," Mercer said. "I'm tired of it, tired of all of the shooting."

Mercer also set up a banner for the victim across the street from the candles and teddy bears.

Friends and family expressed their sadness over the death of Thompson through social media. A Facebook group, "(RIP) Justin" had about 3,000 "likes" by 7 p.m. and featured a collage of photos of Thompson, called "Little JT."