19-year-old shoots teen in mall food court during fight over girlfriend, CT cops say
A fight between a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old escalated when one shot the other in a mall food court, Connecticut police said.
The 17-year-old was sent to the hospital after being shot during a “personal conflict” with the man at the Brass Mill Center shopping mall’s food court, Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a Dec. 14 news conference. About a week later, the man suspected of shooting the teenager was arrested.
Waterbury officers responded to a call Dec. 8 about a “disturbance at the food court,” the police chief said.
Officers found the 17-year-old shot twice in the chest and torso area, Spagnolo said. He was given first aid and sent to a hospital for further treatment, he said.
The teen has since recovered from his gunshot wounds and was discharged from the hospital, the police chief said.
The suspect had fled the scene before police arrived, so the investigation continued, Spagnolo said.
During the investigation, a Waterbury Police Department K-9 located the gun used in the shooting, Spagnolo said. It was dumped in a “grassy area” by Interstate 84 near the mall, he said.
“Good evidence” and “good witnesses” ultimately led police to arrest 19-year-old Marcos Gonzalez Jr. He was charged with first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and several firearm-related charges due to his status as a convicted felon.
He is being held on a $1.5 million bond, Spagnolo said, and was scheduled for arraignment Dec. 14.
“We do believe that (the shooting) does involve a dispute over a girlfriend,” Spagnolo said. “But we continue to research that and investigate that component in the case.”
The department anticipates making more arrests, Spagnolo said, which would be in connection to a “significant” fight that occurred before the shooting.
Waterbury is about 20 miles northwest of New Haven.
This story was originally published December 14, 2023 at 3:29 PM with the headline "19-year-old shoots teen in mall food court during fight over girlfriend, CT cops say."
