Waterbury social club owner killed in shooting; man charged with murder

Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant
·2 min read

The owner of a Waterbury social club was killed in a shooting just outside the club on Saturday night, and police have charged another man from Waterbury with murder.

Dennis Santos, the 51-year-old owner of the Salsa Tropical Social Club at 406 Watertown Avenue, arrived at Waterbury Hospital late Saturday night suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the hospital at about 11:40 p.m., according to the Waterbury Police Department.

Police responded to the club a little after 11 p.m. and learned that a fight had allegedly broken out in the parking lot between a man named Ramon Rodriguez and several other people. Rodriguez allegedly fired shots during the fight, police said.

Investigators found evidence of a shooting in the lot and learned that Santos, of Waterbury, had arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound, police said.

Rodriguez fled the scene, but officers quickly found the 44-year-old, took him into custody and found a loaded firearm, police said.

Rodriguez was charged with murder, first-degree reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, possession of weapons in a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, alteration of firearm identification mark and second-degree breach of peace, police said.

He was being held in police custody on a $2 million bond, police said.

No other injuries were reported in connection to the shooting, and no other information was immediately available.

Also on Saturday, a Waterbury restaurant owner was arrested and charged with murder following a shooting outside of his business.

Michael Anderson, 61, was charged with murder, first-degree reckless endangerment and unlawful discharge of a firearm after a shooting outside of Mikey’s Jamaican Restaurant on East Main Street in Waterbury at about 1:40 a.m. Saturday that left 28-year-old Sebastian Olavarria dead, police said.

Anderson was also being held on a $2 million bond, police said.

Waterbury police were actively investigating both incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Waterbury Police Department’s Detective Bureau at 203-574-6941 or Crime Stoppers at 203-755-1234.