Deonte Tomlinson was charged Friday evening with murder, carrying a pistol without a permit, altering ID marks of a firearm and unlawful discharge of a firearm, police said. He was being held Saturday on $1 million bond.
Four officers were driving in the area of Madison Avenue and Frank Street when the shots rang out at about noon, police said. Officers saw Tomlinson flee the scene, and they gave chase both on foot and in a car, police said.
Tomlinson was detained without incident at Madison and Grand Street, police said.
Officers found a wounded Sloan-Diaz, sitting in his car in front of 305 Madison Ave. He was transported to St. Vincent’s Medical Center, where he died, police said.
Tomlinson was initially charged Friday on an outstanding violation of probation warrant with a bond of $50,000, police said.
In February, Sloan-Diaz was found not guilty by a jury in connection with a 2014 fatal gang-related shooting, and police believe Friday’s incident was retaliation, Av Harris, the city’s director of communication, said Friday.
Diaz was suspected of being the getaway driver in the August 2014 fatal shooting of Ryan Hernandez, 21, according to the Connecticut Post said. The suspected shooter, 17-year-old Fabian “Fab” Francis, was also found not guilty, the Post said.
Friday's shooting death was the second homicide of the year in Bridgeport. An arrested has also been made in that case.
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