2 dead, 2 wounded outside Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford 2 city men dead, 2 wounded outside Toyota Oakdale Theatre

A police patrol car at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, the scene of a double homicide Friday night. A police patrol car at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, the scene of a double homicide Friday night. Photo: Kate Ramunni — New Haven Register Photo: Kate Ramunni — New Haven Register Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close 2 dead, 2 wounded outside Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

WALLINGFORD >> Two New Haven men are dead and two others hospitalized after a shooting in the parking lot of the Oakdale Theatre Friday night.

The hip-hop artist Meek Mill performed there Friday night, and according to reports was in the parking lot leaving around 11:15 p.m. when the shooting broke out. An Oakdale employee made the call to police, which prompted a response not only from Wallingford emergency officials, but also ones from Cheshire, North Haven and North Branford.

Wallingford police identified the dead as Travis Ward, 31, and Jaquan Graves, 20, both of New Haven.

Initially, a call went out for several ambulances to respond to the scene, but all but two were soon canceled when it was determined that there were four victims and two of them were deceased at the scene.

“At 11:12, we received call from an employee from Oakdale Theatre who was outside of the theater with someone who was shot in the leg,” Wallingford Police Lt. Cheryl Bradley said at a press conference at the scene. “We found there were four victims. Two were non-threatening. One was taken to Hartford Hospital and one to Yale-New Haven Hospital.”

It appeared that the show had just gotten out and the parking lot was packed with cars trying to leave,” she said. “It was chaotic, as you can imagine,” she said. “The concert was just letting out.”

The Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad has been brought in to aid in the investigation, she said. They are investigating several reports of different vehicles involved, she said, as well as an accident that occurred in the parking lot where one of the cars took off.

Shawn Hodge and his girlfriend Hannah Green walked down Saturday morning from the Brentwood Drive home behind the theater where they are staying with relatives for the holidays to survey the scene.

“I had the news on when I heard what I guess was gunshots,” Hodge said. “I didn’t really think it could be gunshots, but when I heard about the shooting, I knew it had to be that. It was around the same time (of the shooting) and everything.”

Green, who grew up in Wallingford and now attends the University of Connecticut, said she couldn’t believe the news of the shooting. “I don’t even know how many times I’ve been to Oakdale, and I’ve never worried about anything like this,” she said. “It’s crazy.”

The shooting won’t keep her from going to the theater, she said. “I think this was a specific incident,” she said. “It was a hip-hop show and they can be known for violence. They really shouldn’t have shows like that anymore.”

Meek Mill, whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, is known not only for his music but also for his criminal record. In 2005, he was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and assault on a police officer, and three years later he was arrested on firearms and drug charges. In 2013 and 2014, he faced charges of violating probation, and served time on those charges in 2014. A year ago, he was again charged with violation of probation and this year served several months of house arrest.

Williams was reportedly in the parking lot at the time of the shooting, but police have said that he was not involved.

Anyone with any information about the case is asked to call Wallingford police at 203-294-2800.