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The substation is part of an ongoing $1.2 million security upgrade to the city’s public housing complexes, according to city officials.
The Bridgeport Housing Authority already has invested $170,000 in equipment to enhance safety at Trumbull Gardens as part of a months-long security assessment of all properties run by Park City Communities, which manages public housing units.
“Safety is first and foremost in our minds,” said Gaudett. “We have been working with Park City Communities for several months to construct a comprehensive security plan.”
On June 30, Finch and Gaudett announced several public safety initiatives, including the start of walking beats for Bridgeport Police officers at Trumbull Gardens, The Daily Voice previously reported.
Police officers on that walking beat responded to the shooting at the complex Monday night along with a police cruiser that was patrolling the apartment complex.
When officers found the victim, Courtney Frasier, 26, he was attempting to conceal a handgun under a nearby car, police said. On Tuesday, the city said Frasier was in stable condition at St. Vincent's Medical Center. They expected him to recover and face charges in the shooting, police said.
A June 11 shooting at the complex left eight people wounded and one man dead — Savonie “Vahnnie” McNeil, 37, of Shelton. No arrests have been made in that incident.
Although it was not clear whether the victim of Monday’s shooting had a permit for his firearm, Finch as well as U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal have vowed to crack down on illegal guns to combat a rise in shootings in the city.
Last month, Finch and Blumenthal held a public roundtable, where Finch said private individuals selling weapons at gun shows should be mandated to conduct background checks on buyers. Unlike licensed dealers, these individuals are exempt from the background check requirement in many states.
The city's announcement followed a statement Tuesday from former Bridgeport Mayor and current candidate Joe Ganim announcing the dual opening of a police substation and a campaign satellite office near Trumbull Gardens.
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