Norwich police investigate second gun-related death this month
NORWICH — After a year without any gun-related deaths, Norwich police this month have already been called out to two fatal shootings in the city.
Patrol officers on Sunday were dispatched at approximately 9 p.m. to 40 School St. for a report of a disturbance in the multi-family residence not far from downtown. On arrival, police determined a fight had broken out at the house resulting in two individuals being shot.
One man succumbed to his injuries at the scene and a second was transported to The William W. Backus Hospital with undisclosed injuries, police said.
At 10 a.m. on Monday, police had still closed off a section of School Street. A state police major crime van was parked near several Norwich police cruisers inside the taped-off area.
Law enforcement personnel wearing white hazard suits and holding plastic bags gathered in front of the residence before heading in. Others were examining a car parked outside the house.
More: A look behind use of force by Norwich police: What does it mean? How often does it happen?
The identities of the victims had not been released as of 1 p.m. Monday, pending notifications of their families. The incident is under investigation and no other information was immediately available.
The shooting came three weeks after a 46-year-old man was fatally shot at 90 North St. Police said Darnell Thomas was found by officers who had responded to a report of shooting at the Mohegan Commons complex on Jan. 2. Thomas, a New York man who frequently visited Norwich, was transported to Backus where he was pronounced dead.
More: What's next for downtown Norwich boxing gym, convenience store, after Main Street fire?
Police said the shooting appeared to be a “targeted” attack on Thomas and the shooting suspect or suspects fled the crime scene before officers arrived. There have been no arrests in the case or suspects publicly identified.
The department investigated three homicides in 2020, including two “targeted” shootings. Suspects have been charged in all three murders and their cases are winding their way through the court system.
There were no fatal shootings in the city last year, Chief Patrick Daley said.
More: For Norwich schools, the struggle to remain open while omicron surges is 'day-to-day'
“There has been a national trend lately of more gun-related violence,” he said. “We do work to get information on illegal guns and work to get them off the street.”
In 2004, Norwich reported five homicides. In 2006, 2009-11, 2013 and 2015-16, there were two homicides reported for each of those years and one each in 2008 and 2012. There were no homicides in 2005, 2007, 2014 and between 2017-19, according to a 2019 Norwich Police Department crime statistics report.
John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at (860) 857-6965.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Shooting Norwich CT: Police investigate fatal School Street shooting
