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The man, Courtney Frasier, 26, is in stable condition at St. Vincent's Medical Center, police said Tuesday afternoon.
The shooting occurred at 11:45 p.m. Monday on Trumbull Avenue. Officers found Frasier in a parking lot suffering from multiple gun wounds but attempting to conceal a handgun under a nearby car, according to police.
Police said the shooting remains under investigation, and Frasier will face charges in connection with the recovered firearm.
“Police officers were on a walking beat when they heard the gunfire. They ran to the scene and found the victim within a minute and immediately called for an ambulance. That probably saved his life,” said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. “Officers recovered the gun he was trying to hide and quickly secured the crime scene.”
Sgt. Trevor Niestemski and Officer Kateema Riettie found the victim, police said. A cruiser was also on patrol in the housing complex. Police said the department has initiated walking beats in the city’s four public housing complex, including Trumbull Gardens, where Monday night’s shooting took place.
Police said that gun violence has increased this year in major cities. Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch has advocated for stronger gun control laws that he said would keep weapons out of the hands of criminals.
“This is the latest example of why Washington needs to pass meaningful legislation to strengthen gun laws,” Finch said Tuesday. “We need to act now and stop the flow of illegal guns to our streets and make sure we protect our kids and families. That’s my priority here in Bridgeport. We need to make it a priority in Congress.”
“We start by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. It’s that simple,” Finch said. “And then we work with law enforcement and the court system to keep people who use guns to settle grudges off of our streets.”
Police said that violent crime has dropped in Bridgeport by 5 percent compared with last year, and overall crime has dropped by 18 percent.
“I know folks in Trumbull Gardens don’t care about percentages. They want to feel safe,” Finch said. “That’s why we started the walking beats in all of our public housing complexes. That’s why we are adding new security cameras to Trumbull Gardens.”
The city’s housing authority, Park City Communities, has also invested more than $170,000 in security upgrades at Trumbull Gardens that should be in place within 90 days. Park City Communities also plans to invest more than $500,000 to enhance security at its other complexes.
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