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Each officer fired at least one shot, and at least one round struck the man, identified as Timothy P. Johnson, 40, of 97 Fernwood Drive, Stratford, state police said. He remained in Bridgeport Hospital in stable condition on Thursday.
State Police detectives from Western District Major Crime are continuing to investigate the case.
The incident began at about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday, when the Stratford Police Department received reports of a male suspect with a handgun in the area of Russian Beach on Park Boulevard in Stratford.
Stratford police officers responded and found a lone male suspect identified as Johnson with a handgun. They ordered him to drop the handgun, but Johnson did not comply, and he advanced toward officers and fired at least one round at the Stratford police officers, state police said.
The officers fired back, hitting Johnson at least once, state police said.
Stratford police officers rendered first aid, and Johnson was transported by ambulance to Bridgeport Hospital.
No other injuries were reported.
The Stratford Police Officers involved in the shooting were identified as:
- Officer Brian McCarthy, 52, a 26-year veteran, who joined Stratford Police Department in October 2013 after 24 years with the Woodbridge Police Department; and
- Officer Louis Arbelo, 25, a two-year veteran, who joined Stratford Police Department in October 2014
The two officers were placed on paid administrative duty after the shooting per the Stratford Police Department's policy.
Residents of the quiet neighborhood were shocked by the exchange of gunfire.
Gayle Ciccia lives on Victoria Lawn, the next street over. She leaves her home at 4 a.m. to go to work but received text messages from her friends about the shooting. She didn't believe it.
"I said, 'You've got to be wrong. It's Lordship. Nothing happens in Lordship, especially a shooting,' " she said, laughing.
At about 6:30 a.m., at the request of the Stratford Police Chief and the Fairfield State Attorney’s Office, detectives from the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad responded to the scene and took command of the investigation.
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