SHARE

13 Shot At House Party In Connecticut

Thirteen people were wounded in an early morning ambush on a large house party in Bridgeport, Conn., including one woman who was shot in the face and was in critical condition Sunday morning, police said.

At least two shooters are believed to have shot 13 people partying in the back of 19-21 Plymouth Street, left, from the hedges in the backyard at

At least two shooters are believed to have shot 13 people partying in the back of 19-21 Plymouth Street, left, from the hedges in the backyard at

Photo Credit: Meredith Guinness

Eight of 13 victims have been released from the hospital and police expect an arrest “in the very near future” in the shooting believed to be the worst in the city’s history.

Police believe two shooters fired through six-foot-tall hedges from the backyard at 31-33 Plymouth Street and struck the victims, who were all in the rear of 19 Plymouth Street. Officers were called to reports of shots fired shortly before 1:30 a.m.

“We had a tough morning,” said Police Chief AJ Perez.

Police did not release the victims’ names, potential suspects or the motive at a press conference Sunday afternoon. It is not known yet whether the shooters were at the party.

Perez described a “chaotic” scene among the more than 100 partygoers, many of whom thought they were hearing fireworks until some realized they were wounded.

The victims, who ranged in age from about 18 to 24, were rushed to Bridgeport Hospital and St. Vincent’s Medical Center by ambulance and private car, while officers tried to piece together the evidence and interview witnesses throughout the night, said Capt. Brian Fitzgerald.

Eleven sustained non-life threatening wounds to their lower extremities, police said. One of the 11 males shot sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the face, police said.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who spoke at a press conference, said the woman at Yale “came within a millimeter of death."

“The gun almost hit her aorta,” he said.

Perez said the city denied the party organizers’ application for a party permit because they planned to sell alcohol, but they went ahead with the event anyway.

Mayor Joe Ganim, who has touted significantly lower city violent crime statistics in recent weeks, called the incident “a horrendous act” and Blumenthal said he was confident police would find the “animal” who committed the crime.

“We’re going to have an arrest in this matter in the very near future,” Perez said.

Blumenthal called for “common sense” gun control reform and vowed to have federal law enforcement “at the ready,” if needed by Bridgeport.

“(The city) is at the mercy of the trafficking and trade of guns that deluge the streets of Bridgeport,” he said.

Police have stepped up patrols in the East Side neighborhood known for the brick duplexes like the one at 19-21 Plymouth Street, which were originally built as World War I military housing.

Fitzgerald said they are studying social media and looking for two or more large-caliber guns they believe were used. He said it was too early to say if the case is gang related.

Police did not receive any complaints about the party, which featured a DJ and loud music, until the call of shots fired.

to follow Daily Voice Pelham and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE