Reyes On Cop-Shooter: “We Will Find Him”

by Thomas Breen & Paul Bass | Aug 13, 2019 4:46 pm

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Days after becoming a grandfather, Police Capt. Anthony Duff was driving off-duty Monday night at 9:23 p.m. when he spotted someone shoot a man at Dixwell Avenue and Henry Street. Duff ended up at the hospital, not home. Duff radioed in the report of the shooting, then got out of his car — and started running after the shooter. Duff wasn’t in uniform. He wasn’t wearing a vest. “The suspect then turned around and shot him several times, critically wounding Capt. Duff,” Acting Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. Duff might have died — but a fellow officer arrived and applied a tourniquet to stanch the bleeding. He underwent surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He is now expected to recover fully. The other man did die. Police still haven’t positively identified him. Officials held that press conference not at police headquarters, but at the shooting site itself. A phalanx of officers assembled behind the officials who spoke, to help send a message: The police are in the community, working with the community, to find the shooter and to ensure that everyone is safe on New Haven’s streets. The shooter remained at large Tuesday afternoon. Reyes sent him a message at the press conference: “We are going to extend every resource available to us to bring you to justice,” Reyes vowed, addressing the still at-large shooter. “Every single member of this department will be working this investigation.” “You will not engage in violence against one of our own … We will stand in unison. Every single member of this department, every single member of this community, will work to bring him to justice.” Both Reyes and Mayor Toni Harp made a point of recognizing the life of not just the top cop who was shot, but the man who died. They said police have not yet “definitively identified” the victim so they can’t release a name yet. He was an African-American male, Reyes said. “We are standing here today with the community. We are standing here today as one community to say that we will not tolerate gun violence in our city. Yesterday we lost a young man in this community to violence right on this street. He was murdered by someone” who almost murdered a cop as well, Reyes said. “We are remorseful to the person who lost his life out here yesterday. We wish we knew who he is and who his family is so we can give our condolences. No one should lose his life on the streets of New Haven,” Mayor Harp said. She said Duff’s decision to intervene at risk of his life “speaks to his non-stop commitment to police work and his personal valor.” “He is resting and healing and inspiring the rest of us with his courage,” Harp said. Anthony Dawson, the chair of the city’s Police Commission, joined Reyes and Harp in calling for the community to come forward with information about whomever shot Duff and killed the as-yet-unidentified man Monday night. “Captain Duff is a 24-year veteran,” he said, “and, particularly in this neighborhood, he loves you. He put his life on the line. He could have very well turned his head last night. But he got out of his vehicle, without his vest on, not knowing if he was going to meet with his family.” He spent the night instead in the emergency room, undergoing surgery, with family and officers praying for his life. “We will leave no stone unturned,” Dawson said, “until we find the individual who’s responsible for this. This is not how New Haven is supposed to be. We have never been like this, and we will never go to this. So we want to send a message to those individuals that think that they can just run this town unlawfully: You got another thing coming.” Reyes made a plea to the media to hold off on publishing unsubstantiated rumors. He cited a false report by a television station: “Some information was put out that the suspect had been captured. That is false information. It is important and very critical that during an investigation like this … that we’re very careful about putting information out there that can hurt the investigation and confuse the public.” East Haven, West Haven, and North Haven police helped New Haven police search for the shooter Monday night. Regional SWAT teams combed the area. The state’s attorney’s office is overseeing the investigation, as is the custom when a shooting involves a police officer. Reyes said there is no indication yet as to whether or not Duff fired his weapon Monday night. A Beloved Community Cop Duff serves as the public information officer for the department. He originally moved to New Haven to attend Yale University. He stayed to raise a family here and serve as a cop. He has held many posts within the NHPD, including a stint as district manager in Dixwell. He is a widely respected and popular officer with strong ties to the community. The shooting occurred days after Duff celebrated the birth of a grandchild. In his public information role, he participated in and helped publicize training for all officers earlier this year in the use of tourniquets. Officer Joseph Perrotti, one of the officers credited with stanching Duff’s bleeding at the scene with a tourniquet, previously saved another shooting victim’s life with the same technique back in April. “Capt. Duff is in the operating room. He has been stabilized. He is going to be OK,” Reyes (pictured) said at an earlier press conference, held shortly after 11:30 p.m. outside the Yale-New Haven Emergency Department. “He sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He is lucky to be alive right now. “He’s a hero.” Mayor Harp stayed with Captain Duff’s wife at the hospital throughout his surgery overnight. Reyes described the shooter as “a black male with long braids, a muscular build, and goatee.” He was wearing black pants. The chief asked anyone with information about the shooting to call police at (203) 946-6316. Unanswered at this point is whether Duff fired his weapon, how many times he was hit, the exact nature of his injuries, and the name of the deceased. Duff is believed to have been hit in the shoulder and the pelvis. Joining Reyes at the hospital press conference were internal affairs chief David Zannelli, patrol supervisor Shayna Kendall, Assistant Chief Herb Sharp, retired cop and current hospital protective services chief Nicholas Proto, street outreach worker Leonard Jahad, and police union president Florencio Cotto Jr., among others.

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posted by: Dennis Serf on August 12, 2019 11:13pm This is an outrage. Captain Duff is a dedicated public servant and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet - he is personable, polite, professional, very accommodating, and always smiling.

posted by: TVJMD on August 12, 2019 11:17pm Jesus. Praying for Duff. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

posted by: JohnCarlson on August 12, 2019 11:30pm Prayers for Captain Duff.

posted by: Carolyn on August 12, 2019 11:49pm My prayers for Captain Duff and the entire NHPD family!

posted by: Seth Poole on August 13, 2019 1:03am This is an emotional day for New Haven. Our prayers are with Captain Duff, his family, the NHPD and the deceased. May the shooter be brought to justice.

posted by: Michael Briscoe on August 13, 2019 1:19am 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 I pray that GOD heals and restores Captain Duff rendering him whole, returning him to his family, and back to this community where he has served.

posted by: Nunez on August 13, 2019 6:30am I’m so sorry this happend to him .Here we have a hero trying to save others and protect all of us and we have such evil people out here that don’t care about anything or anyone but he will get caught and do life in prison .And to you captain thank you so much for your service to us may God bless and protect you always

posted by: LE Mom on August 13, 2019 6:57am Sending healing prayers for a full recovery to Captain Duff, prayers for strength for his fellow brothers and sisters in blue and his family.

posted by: alphabravocharlie on August 13, 2019 8:11am Tony Duff is a true gentleman. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

posted by: MojitoMama on August 13, 2019 8:30am 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 for Capt. Duff & his family.

posted by: LookOut on August 13, 2019 8:41am I wish Captain Duff the best but am outraged that our city has fostered an environment where this is allowed to happen. Anyone want to wager that once this guy is found, we learn that he has a rap sheet a mile long and should be in jail?

posted by: challenge on August 13, 2019 9:19am Capt Duff, one who truly loves, cares and serves the New Haven community. One who is truly “one of our own”. May he be blessed with a full and speedy recovery. Sending prayers to his family, the deceased person’s family and the entire New Haven community. The young man who lost his life should receive more than a foot note in this tragedy. It would be great to hear that his life mattered too. Hopefully details will come soon.

posted by: jayfairhaven on August 13, 2019 9:20am All the best to Capt Duff, in hopes of a speedy recovery. In addition to being a great public servant, he’s a terrific person.

posted by: thecove on August 13, 2019 9:28am Prayers for the Captain.

posted by: j03y1948 on August 13, 2019 9:36am My thoughts and prayers are with Captain Duff and his beautiful family.

God Bless.

posted by: redman on August 13, 2019 11:32am All the criticism of the police is going to get them killed. Now they are afraid to shoot when they should.

posted by: BFLY on August 13, 2019 12:07pm Prayers for Capt.Duff, Mia, his family, NHPD, and for the individual’s family who was killed… It seems everyday there is gunfire in NH and crime “is” up and out of control whether some in the community will say elsewise…

posted by: Greg-Morehead Captain Duff DEFINITELY has Angels watching over him!

Thank God he’s recovering and doing OK.. Prayers up for him and his family!

posted by: Ex-NHPD on August 13, 2019 1:02pm Tony will need the support of his family, his NHPD family, and the New Haven Community family to make his rapid and complete recovery. With all those on his side, along with the YNHH Medical Team, I’m confident he can do it. And to the NHPD and assisting Law Enforcement Agencies-Godspeed in your tracking down and apprehension of this violent suspect.

posted by: Hartman13 on August 13, 2019 1:53pm Tony is a good person and a dedicated cop. We’re all wishing him a speedy recovery and that the monster who injured him and took the life of another man will be apprehended post haste. To the women and men of the police department - thank you all for your hard work. You are wholly under appreciated by a society focused on themselves and a poisonous anti-police bias. Thanks also to the CT State’s Attorney’s Office, Yale University Police, Connecticut State Police, West Haven Police, East Haven Police, Southern CT State University Police, Yale New Haven Hospital Protective Services, NH Fire Department, NHOEM, AMR and the may others who coordinated chaos into purpose last night. Side note: To the disgusting woman who loudly and rudely bitched at an offer on a crime scene post, complaining she had to walk around the block after being so inconvenienced by a murder scene… (Censored by the NHI)!

posted by: JohnDVelleca on August 13, 2019 3:40pm I’m very relieved to hear Tony is in stable condition. Tony is certainly a hero for his actions last night, but he has been a hero for that community in particular for many years. Truly one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and a cop that defined what community policing should be. Over the years, Tony has given so much of his life to the Dixwell/Beaver Hills Community. It’s time for the community to reciprocate by finding out who did this and passing that information to the police. Tony is not just a cop, he’s a member of the Dixwell community. Good luck to all involved, hopefully the perpetrator is brought to justice quickly.

posted by: Dennis Serf on August 13, 2019 3:57pm Per Asst. Chief Renee Dominguez: Anyone wishing to send well wishes and support to Captain Duff and the NHPD can do so by sending or dropping off to: Attn: Chiefs Office/Capt Duff

New Haven Police Department

1 Union Ave

New Haven, CT 06519

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on August 13, 2019 7:14pm Who every did this.Should be brought to justice and If he has not killed himself he will.But we can not overlook at the cause of this.And That is what H.Rap Brown said “Violence is as American as cherry pie"In fact it it has got so bad here that Amnesty International has joined a growing list of countries warning travelers about the perils of gun violence in the United States.A travel advisory the organization issued Wednesday “calls on people worldwide to exercise caution and have an emergency contingency plan when traveling throughout the USA.This Travel Advisory is being issued in light of ongoing high levels of gun violence in the country,” the warning continues.Calling gun violence in the United States “a human rights crisis” in a statement accompanying the travel advisory, Amnesty International accused the U.S. government of failing to fulfill its obligation under international law to keep people safe.The Japanese Consulate in Detroit, meanwhile, released a statement Sunday calling the United States a “gun society” and urging Japanese nationals to stay alert after the Dayton shooting.These are just the latest countries and international groups to label gun violence in America a safety concern. In recent years, Germany, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand have issued similar warnings about travel to the United States. I just got finish look at the News.They Just Arrested in BOARDMAN, Ohio A 18 year old who had threatened to shoot federal agents, a Planned Parenthood and a gay bar and he had 10,000 rounds of ammunition, camouflage clothing, camouflaged backpacks, 15 rifles and shotguns and 10 semi-automatic pistols..How did he get all this?Saw this also on the News Wild shootout near 215 Freeway in Riverside California. Patrol officer was killed and two others injured in a shootout. Part One.

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on August 13, 2019 7:30pm Part Two.

Like I said I hope this person is brought to justice.But also if this shooter brought this gun illegally that was used to kill this young man and that was used to shoot Captain Duff.He or she who sold the gun to him illegally should also face charges.Also we should go after these politicians who get gun lobby money.Bottom line As H Rap Brown said “Violence Is As American As Cherry Pie” And until a way is found to deal with that.It will keep on happening.

posted by: DJKsMom on August 14, 2019 8:37am I hope the person(s) that committed this crime are caught and brought to justice. On another note, I find it a little disheartening that the main focus is what happened to Capt Duff. Yes, he was hurt and is said to be able to make a full recovery. However, a man lost his life, parents lost a child, children lost a parent, siblings lost a brother, etc. Most of the focus is on Duff and I think both men’s lives are equal. One doesn’t hold more value due to his occupation. It’s like a smack in the face for the family if they read this article and see the Chief say: “We are going to extend every resource available to us to bring you to justice,” “Every single member of this department will be working this investigation.” “You will not engage in violence against one of our own … We will stand in unison. Every single member of this department, every single member of this community, will work to bring him to justice.” It would lead one to believe that he wouldn’t extend that same effort find the shooter for the family of the deceased. Also, where are the protesters now? When one of our own is taken down by the hands of another there is silence and crickets from the protesting peanut gallery.

posted by: 3jan46 on August 14, 2019 8:48am IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING!!!!!!

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on August 14, 2019 10:18am posted by: DJKsMom on August 14, 2019 8:37am Also, where are the protesters now? When one of our own is taken down by the hands of another there is silence and crickets from the protesting peanut gallery. You should a Organize a Protest then.Also Ice the Beef and other anti-gun violence protesters rally outside Stetson Library following shooting of 9-year-old in Dixwell earlier this week and there has been other Protest about gun violence.As I said in my post As H Rap Brown said “Violence Is As American As Cherry Pie” And until a way is found to deal with that.It will keep on happening.

posted by: alphabravocharlie on August 14, 2019 10:41am Every life is important and the NHPD expends all necessary resources to investigate every homicide. When a police officer is attacked, society and its institutions are attacked. Someone who would attack a police officer would have no qualms about attacking anyone else. This person must be caught for the protection of the community and to restore order.

posted by: Shorty on August 14, 2019 4:00pm First and foremost , I am glad that Captain Duff is going to be Ok… He s a good man. I would like to say to the Chief of Police there was another Agency that was on scene within seconds of the event happening. The Yale University Police were there with just about all their resources .. Thought I would point out this oversight