New Haven| Over the past week and a half, New Haven Police Investigative Services
Division detectives, Task Force officers, and Patrol Division officers seized eight guns and made
nine arrests in areas where recent violence has occurred. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also
federally adopted new gun cases which led to federal arrests this week by the Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms (ATF) and FBI.
07/26/2020.
Patrol officers responded to a Clinton Avenue home for a report of a domestic dispute where a
weapon was used. The victim told police she had an argument with her 25 year old husband Carlos
Lopez and he stuck a gun in her mouth. He then fled the area in a silver Toyota Corolla. Officers
developed information that Lopez may be headed to Grand Avenue. Officers went to Grand Avenue
and located the car and Lopez. Consent was granted and inside the trunk of the vehicle, officers
located a P80 9mm handgun. Lopez has a misdemeanor handgun disqualification. Officers arrested
Lopez and charged him accordingly.
07/28/2020.
Members of Shooting Task Force noticed 18 year old Antonio Allen sitting in a Cadillac in the
parking lot of the Valley Street Townhouses which has no trespassing signs. When Allen noticed
police presence, he exited the vehicle wearing only one shoe and walked away at a fast pace. He
refused to stop and reached into a Honda Civic which then fled the area without him. Officers
detained Allen without further incident. In plain view in the parked Cadillac was a clear bag
containing marijuana and a black handgun on the passenger side floorboard. NHPD Bureau of
Identification responded to collect the firearm which was a Ruger .380 caliber handgun with an
obliterated serial number. Allen did not have a valid permit and was charged accordingly.
07/31/2020.
A FBI Task Force officer received information there were several males from the “Exit 8” group
carrying guns in the parking lot of the Essex Townhouses on Quinnipiac Avenue. As police officers
drove into the housing complex, officers observed approximately 15 people in the lot immediately to
the left. Once the people in the parking lot saw police, some began to run into the center of the
complex. Officers began a foot pursuit and one male was apprehended in the center lot. He was later
identified as 26 year old Jaquan Gray.
Gray had a fanny pack strapped across his chest. Gray began to struggle with officers when he was
taken to the ground. Gray kept his right hand on the fanny pack. Eventually, officers unsnapped and
seized the fanny pack. Inside of it was a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun stolen out of Hamden.
While officers were detaining Gray, a large crowd began to approach officers and several times
officers had to be push the crowd back. The crowd was not compliant with officers’ commands and
continued to approach.
Detectives apprehended a second man who ran from officers. This male was identified as 26 year old
Denzel Suggs. Officers detained Suggs without further incident. Suggs had a handgun in his front
right pocket, a Taurus (Model PT-22) .22 caliber handgun. Officers transported both men to
the NHPD Union Avenue Detention Center. Both Suggs and Gray are convicted felons and were
charged accordingly.
08/02/2020.
Detectives and Task Force officers conducted crime suppression in the Hill area where a homicide
had occurred earlier in the morning. A Task Force Officer (TFO) developed information there were
two males in a car on Greenwich Avenue with a shotgun in the car. Officers began canvassing the
area and located two males sitting in a black KIA sedan on Greenwich Avenue at Third Street. The
males, later identified as 27 year old Angel Viera and 27 year old Joshwua Figueroa were removed
from the car and a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun loaded with seven shotgun shells was located on the
passenger side floorboard. Additionally, three shotgun shells were found in Viera's pocket. Viera and
Figueroa are convicted felons and were charged accordingly.
08/02/2020.
Later in the evening, an ATF Task Force Officer developed information there was a male in a white
sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a gun inside the vehicle in the area of Greenwich Avenue. Crime
suppression units located the vehicle double parked on Greenwich Avenue near First Street. The
vehicle drove away but officers conducted a motor vehicle stop at Howard Avenue and Second Street
where the operator was found to be 28 year old Brandon Mendoza. A search of the vehicle revealed a
Norinco Model 54 pistol with 7.62x25 caliber rounds in the ammunition magazine. Mendoza is not a
convicted felon and was charged appropriately. Mendoza refused to cooperate when asked to be
interviewed but did say that the recent homicide victim was a friend of his and that he had dropped
him off the night prior to the homicide.
This arrest and the other listed 08/02/2020 arrests helped stop retaliation for the
homicide which occurred earlier in the area on the morning of the same day.
Dedicated to Protecting Our Community
phone (203) 946-6333 fax (203) 946-7294 website www.cityofnewhaven.com/police
07/31/2020.
A FBI Task Force officer received information there were several males from the “Exit 8” group
carrying guns in the parking lot of the Essex Townhouses on Quinnipiac Avenue. As police officers
drove into the housing complex, officers observed approximately 15 people in the lot immediately to
the left. Once the people in the parking lot saw police, some began to run into the center of the
complex. Officers began a foot pursuit and one male was apprehended in the center lot. He was later
identified as 26 year old Jaquan Gray.
Gray had a fanny pack strapped across his chest. Gray began to struggle with officers when he was
taken to the ground. Gray kept his right hand on the fanny pack. Eventually, officers unsnapped and
seized the fanny pack. Inside of it was a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun stolen out of Hamden.
While officers were detaining Gray, a large crowd began to approach officers and several times
officers had to be push the crowd back. The crowd was not compliant with officers’ commands and
continued to approach.
Detectives apprehended a second man who ran from officers. This male was identified as 26 year old
Denzel Suggs. Officers detained Suggs without further incident. Suggs had a handgun in his front
right pocket, a Taurus (Model PT-22) .22 caliber handgun. Officers transported both men to
the NHPD Union Avenue Detention Center. Both Suggs and Gray are convicted felons and were
charged accordingly.
08/02/2020.
Detectives and Task Force officers conducted crime suppression in the Hill area where a homicide
had occurred earlier in the morning. A Task Force Officer (TFO) developed information there were
two males in a car on Greenwich Avenue with a shotgun in the car. Officers began canvassing the
area and located two males sitting in a black KIA sedan on Greenwich Avenue at Third Street. The
males, later identified as 27 year old Angel Viera and 27 year old Joshwua Figueroa were removed
from the car and a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun loaded with seven shotgun shells was located on the
passenger side floorboard. Additionally, three shotgun shells were found in Viera's pocket. Viera and
Figueroa are convicted felons and were charged accordingly.
08/02/2020.
Later in the evening, an ATF Task Force Officer developed information there was a male in a white
sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a gun inside the vehicle in the area of Greenwich Avenue. Crime
suppression units located the vehicle double parked on Greenwich Avenue near First Street. The
vehicle drove away but officers conducted a motor vehicle stop at Howard Avenue and Second Street
where the operator was found to be 28 year old Brandon Mendoza. A search of the vehicle revealed a
Norinco Model 54 pistol with 7.62x25 caliber rounds in the ammunition magazine. Mendoza is not a
convicted felon and was charged appropriately. Mendoza refused to cooperate when asked to be
interviewed but did say that the recent homicide victim was a friend of his and that he had dropped
him off the night prior to the homicide.
This arrest and the other listed 08/02/2020 arrests helped stop retaliation for the
homicide which occurred earlier in the area on the morning of the same day.
Dedicated to Protecting Our Community
phone (203) 946-6333 fax (203) 946-7294 website www.cityofnewhaven.com/police
08/05/2020.
At approximately 8:00 p.m., members of the Shooting Task Force were traveling on Henry Street
towards Dixwell Avenue and were directly behind an older model orange/red colored Chevrolet
Cavalier. A registration check revealed the license plate came back to a 2008 tan Chevrolet Impala.
The Cavalier continued on Henry Street and turned onto Dixwell Avenue and pulled over. Detectives
pulled directly behind the car and activated their emergency lights. The driver, later identified as 22
year old Paul Witherspoon of Hamden, exited the car and began to walk towards the sidewalk.
Detectives told Witherspoon to walk back to the driver`s side of his car because they were stopping
him because the plate on his vehicle did match the car he was driving.
When asked for license, registration, and proof of insurance, Witherspoon told detectives everything
was at home. Witherspoon opened the glove box and attempted to find any paperwork for the car.
While Witherspoon searched his car for paperwork, detectives observed marijuana in the car.
Witherspoon told detectives marijuana was the only contraband in the car. Detectives had
Witherspoon remove his young child from the back seat of the vehicle. After closer inspection,
detectives saw the butt end of a shotgun on the front passenger side floorboard,
The Bureau of Identification arrived on scene to collect the shotgun. It was determined the shotgun
was loaded and the front of the firearm was sawed off to make the barrel shorter. After removing the
shotgun from the car, detectives conducted a further search. Located throughout the car were
multiple shotgun shells as well as 7.62 ammunition. Paul Witherspoon is not a convicted felon and
did not have a pistol permit. He was placed under arrest for the appropriate charges. Family members
arrived on scene and took custody of Witherspoon’s child. Detectives arrested Witherspoon without
incident.
08/05/2020.
After a federal investigation, Drug Enforcement Agents and NHPD detectives and officers executed a
search warrant at 1341 Chapel Street. Arrested was 18 year old Marquay Foster who was found in
possession a loaded black firearm HK VP 9mm with a tactical light; thirteen 9mm rounds in the
attached ammunition magazine; one empty black high capacity (32 round) ammunition magazine; one
clear zip lock back containing eleven 9mm rounds; one clear zip lock bag containing ten .40 caliber
rounds; and one loose 9x19 ammunition round. Officers arrested Foster on state charges for the
firearm.
In 10 days, there have been eight guns seized with nine arrests over this period of time from
07/26/2020 to 08/05/2020. Prior to this 10 day period, from July 1, 2020 to July 25, 2020 another 12
guns were seized. According to Assistant Chief Karl Jacobson, “These gun arrests helped stop
violence and saved lives. Detectives and officers are working extremely hard to assist in efforts with
community members to stop violence in New Haven. We ask that community members contact the
police department when illegal guns are being displayed. In many of these cases, community
members called the police and officers were able to safely take people into custody and get the guns
off the streets. These actions save lives and I want to thank the efforts of the detectives and the
officers as well as the assistance received from the community.”
NHPD Chief Tony Reyes wants the community to know that “We will not tolerate gun violence. We
will continue to work in collaboration with our state and federal partners to arrest those responsible
for violence in our city.”
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