A 24-year-old New Britain woman is charged with attempted murder after shooting an acquaintance early Sunday morning, according to police.

Police said Philisha Lee, of Ellis Street in New Britain, shot the victim in the leg near Buell and South Main streets shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday. He was treated for non-life threatening injuries and identified Lee as his attacker.

Police said the two knew one another prior to the shooting, but the details of their relationship are unclear.

Officers searched Lee’s home and found the gun used in the assault. She was arrested just after 4:30 a.m.

Lee was charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm, criminal trespass, carrying a gun without a permit and altering or removing a firearm identification mark.

Residents of a home on Garden Court in Fairfield were evacuated Monday afternoon after a gas line burst outside the house, fire officials said.

The leak was reported shortly before 1 p.m. Emergency responders arrived on scene to find a natural gas line break outside a two-story home.
The house was evacuated and the gas line was shut off, according to the fire department.

Southern Connecticut Gas workers arrived on scene to make repairs. Firefighters cleared the scene by 2:30 p.m.

No one was injured. Residents are advised to check their utilities and change the batteries in their carbon monoxide and gas detectors on a regular basis.

The head of a seafood supplier who says Market Basket overpaid his company by nearly half a million dollars is suggesting that the move may have been a deliberate effort by new management to sabotage the beleaguered grocery chain.

Tim Malley, CEO of Boston Sword & Tuna, said in an open letter that the turmoil at Market Basket, kicked off by the ouster of longtime CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, has seriously hurt his company.

The seafood wholesaler is cutting ties with Market Basket's current management group after a 10-year business relationship with the chain. Malley believes the company can save itself only by bringing back its fired workers.

Market Basket has been roiled by employee protests, customer boycotts and near-empty stores for months, ever since a long-running boardroom family feud culminated in the June ouster of the man workers affectionately call Artie T. by allies of his cousin, Arthur S.

Malley says that after he tried and failed for more than a week to reach executives who had promised to offset the costs, Market Basket gave his company two checks overpaying him by nearly $500,000, once by $83,000 and the second time by more than $415,000.

"In my mind there could be only two answers to these accumulating mistakes and self-destructive strategies. One was that the CEOs were way over their heads," Malley wrote in the letter. "The only other explanation seemed to be a deliberate attempt to sabotage the future of the company."

"Could the Arthur S. side of the family be so embittered by the defiance of Arthur T. and all the stakeholders supporting him that their plan is to sell him – at full pre-conflict price – a pile of smoking rubble?" he went on to wonder in his letter.

According to Malley, Boston Sword & Tuna provided the supermarket chain with more than 30,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon weekly, as well as 15,000 to 30,000 pounds of other seafood. He says his company has a two-way contract with his partners who farm the salmon in Norway and with Market Basket.

Without Market Basket buying the product, Malley said, Boston Sword & Tuna had to sell the fish at a significant discount and faced potential layoffs.

"We're concerned about the inconsistencies with some of the statements and there's been inconsistencies with some of the financial arrangements. And we felt that we had an obligation to go public so that the shareholders, all the shareholders would know what's going on," Malley said.

Malley said that Market Basket proposed that Boston Sword & Tuna provide one box of 10-20 pounds of seafood to each of the 71 stores Tuesday.

"We didn't really see this as being a practical solution," Malley told NECN, adding that he wasn't sure they even had the staffing to distribute the product. "That's such a small amount that it makes us question their strategies and their priorities."

While he believes the chances of Market Basket being saved are dwindling, Malley voiced his hope of a return to the way things were.

"We've had such a good relationship with Market Basket. The former management treated us very well," said Malley. "We hope that they're restored to their positions and that we can all go forward, because we certainly do want to continue to do business with Market Basket."

Market Basket's new management responded to Malley's letter Monday afternoon in a statement that blamed the employee walkouts for the damage.

"When a distribution network set up over decades is shut down in one day, it is naive to assume any company would not suffer. The longtime employees that ran Market Basket's buying and distribution system walked out on their jobs, their customers and their vendors on July 18. That is precisely the reason Market Basket's stores have had only limited perishable items in stock since," they said. "We have been diligently working with vendors to limit the damage the walkout has caused."

Market Basket employees and customers insist they're not backing down until Arthur T. Demoulas returns.

NECN asked fired district supervisor Tom Trainor what would happen if ATD doesn't come back.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead yet. We'll see what happens. I have full faith in Artie. And he said that he would never leave us. And I believe him," he said.

A Coconut Creek teen was killed Saturday trying to stop his drunk friend from climbing behind the wheel, the late teen's family said. 

Joe Ianzano, 19, was clinging to the rear spoiler of his friend's high-performance car when it careened through the bushes and slammed into a palm tree, sending him flying and killing him, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

"It was a courageous act, but Joey was like that," his grandmother Barbara Ianzano said. "Joey would put himself on the line. He would do things like that. This time, he was too courageous."

She said her grandson had been trying to block the car, but his friend — whom sources identified as Patricio Javier Arias — managed to get in somehow.

"Joey [was] saying, 'You can't drive. You can't drive. You are too drunk.' I think he was trying to stop Pat," she said, adding that the driver didn't listen. "He peeled off and took off.”

After it hit the tree, the car drove across a driveway and hit another three cars before it came to a stop.

Joe Ianzano was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ianzano was about to start school to become a firefighter to help save more people. His family said he was a hunter and athlete who loved his big truck and was willing to give his life to do the right thing.

"I am really sorry that his family had to see this," his friend Cassandra Persaud said. "He did not deserve it, and I loved him a lot." 

A fraternity and two sororities banned from the University of Connecticut amid hazing allegations and student code violations have appealed their suspensions, according to a spokesperson for the university.

The Sigma Chi Fraternity and the Delta Gamma and Delta Zeta sororities lost their recognition at UConn last week following a months-long investigation. It comes just months after two other Greek organizations were removed from campus for similar allegations.

UConn found Sigma Chi and Delta Gamma responsible for three student code violations in connection with a Feb. 28 incident. Letters sent to both organizations say men affiliated with Sigma Chi where forced to bob for "nips" in a toilet and eat cat food. Some were also allegedly struck with wooden paddles.

Members of Delta Zeta were accused of feeding dog treats to fraternity men and forcing them to drink and paint their bodies, according to a letter from the UConn associate director of community standards sent to the chapter.

"UConn takes a zero-tolerance approach to hazing and harmful treatment of students by anyone, under any circumstances. Our mission is to provide a first-rate learning environment, and we take this duty really seriously," UConn officials said in a statement obtained Aug. 12. "Greek Life has played a vital role in the life of this university for decades and will continue to do so. UConn values the commitment of the many students who promote philanthropy, community service and responsible citizenry through their participation in these groups."

The sanctions, which took effect immediately, will last three years for Sigma Chi, two years for Delta Zeta and one year for Delta Gamma, pending appeals, according to the university.

All three organizations have appealed the rulings and will hear back within the next couple weeks, university officials said.

Depending on the outcome, they could lose their housing in Husky Village starting Jan. 1, 2015 and also be banned from “interest housing” in the nearby Towers residence halls.

"Delta Gamma Fraternity values the heritage of our Epsilon Pi chapter, but knows there must be a desire and commitment from our current collegians to promote and live by the values of our Fraternity," said Delta Gamma national president Stacia Rudge Skook, in a statement last week. "We believe the current collegiate members in our Epsilon Pi chapter understand Delta Gamma Fraternity's values and are ready and willing to lead the change. Our members do not condone this behavior and are sorrowed that the actions of a few have impacted so many."

Delta Zeta also released a statement in response to the decision, which reads, in part:

"The Sorority fosters the respect and worth of self and of others, and does not condone hazing. Delta Zeta is committed to its eradication. Delta Zeta Sorority members are expected to conduct themselves in alignment with the Sorority values that exemplify integrity, good citizenship and leadership."

A statement posted to the international Sigma Chi Fraternity Web site said leadership is "extremely disappointed in the decisions that several individuals of its Gamma Omega Chapter made to participate in the activities referenced by the University of Connecticut" but challenged the allegations.

According to the statement, the incidents don’t fall into the category of hazing since everyone involved was already a member of the organization.

"By its own definition, the University of Connecticut considers hazing as activities where participation is a precursor for some form of membership in an organization," said Sigma Chi International President Michael Greenberg, in a statement. "In this particular case, we reject the notion that hazing was connected to this incident because the individuals who participated in the activities were already initiated and did so voluntarily, with no connection to their continued membership as a condition for participation."

The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity lost their appeals after being suspended in March.

UConn will have 2,300 students participating in 34 recognized fraternities and sororities at the start of the school year in the fall, including those recently sanctioned.

Two additional Greek organizations are colonizing at UConn as well, including Sigma Phi Epsilon, a fraternity that lost its recognition at UConn in 2008, and new sorority, Alpha Chi Omega.

A bomb threat called into the Tasker Building at UConn in Storrs on Monday morning was determined not to credible and an investigation has begun into who made the call.

Staff of the The Gordon W. Tasker Admissions Building received a call at 10:55 a.m. with a vague threat, according to a spokesperson for the university and an alert on the school's Web site.

Students and faculty near the building were asked to evacuate.

The all clear was issued at 11:47 a.m.

The Tasker Building  is located at 2131 Hillside Road and includes admissions and events offices, as well as the offices of several staff members from the Neag School of Education.

Few students are on campus on Monday because they are scheduled to move in this weekend and begin classes next week.

The Facebook page for UConn’s Transportation Services said  UConn buses and AVS vans were being brought back to transportation or were sheltering in place. Service has since resumed.

Anyone with information on the source of the threat or who witnesses any suspicious activity should call UConn Police at (860) 486-4800 or submit information anonymously through the UConn Police website.

Five people were rescued from a sinking boat off the Greenwich coast Saturday night, according to police.

The owner of the 26-foot Bayliner, who had bought the boat two weeks prior, told police he went out on the water with four friends around 2 p.m. Saturday. They anchored the boat near “Four Foot Rock” and spent several hours fishing, police said.

It was only as they started to pack up around 9 p.m. that they noticed water collecting in the boat.

The passengers, who were all wearing life vests, called 911 as the stern began to dip down into the water. Officers arrived on scene and tried pumping water out of the boat to no avail.

Police said the boat began listing to the starboard side. Ultimately, all but two feet of the bow was submerged.

The five people on board were brought ashore and no one was hurt. It’s not clear what caused the boat to sink.

Responding officers included members of the Greenwich Police Marine Section, the Rye Police Departmnet, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Mamaroneck Police Department Marine Unit.

West Hartford investigated an armed robbery, a home invasion and an attempted home invasion in a span of four hours and said the crimes were connected.

Police made three arrests and said the first robbery was reported at 9:27 p.m. on Sunday. The victim said he was standing in front of 701 Farmington Ave. when three people robbed him at gunpoint.

A man in his late teens or early 20s in a black hoodie walked right up to the victim, pointed a black gun at him, racked a round and demanded the victim's wallet, according to police. The group made off with $70 and ran east on Farmington Avenue, police said.

Soon after the armed robbery, there was an armed home invasion a few blocks away on Lowell Road, police said.

Two men forced their way into the home through an unlocked rear window, pointed a handgun at the homeowner and told him to be quiet, police said.

For half an hour, they remained in the victim’s home and also threatened him with a knife before running off with his cash, police said. Police said they believed the two incidents were connected.

Just before 1:30 a.m. on Monday, police received a call about an attempted home invasion on Fennway.

A woman said she was outside her home, smoking a cigarette, when someone started walking toward her.

As she was backing into her house, the person pointed what appeared to be a handgun at her, so she ran into her house and called 911.

When police responded, they found a suspect with heroin on him who was hiding in the bushes on South Highland Street and he tried to run, but a K9 helped capture him, police said.

A second suspect was also found hiding in some nearby bushes.

The two men had been planning a second home invasion, but the resident thwarted it by being alert and calling police.

Police said they found a third suspect at a home in Hartford and take her into custody.

Police located three facsimile handguns, evidence from the Lowell Road robbery and the victim’s cash, police said.

Jaquarius Carter, 19, of Hartford, Terrance Clarke, 18, and Ashley Blagrove, 21, of Hartford, were arrested in connection with the armed robbery on Farmington Avenue.

All three were charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny conspiracy at second-degree larceny and carrying dangerous weapons.

More charges:

Carter was also charged with brandishing a facsimile firearm.

Carter and Clarke were both charged in connection with the home invasion on Lowell Road. Both were charged with home invasion, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, sixth-degree larceny, kidnapping in the first degree with a firearm, first-degree threatening 1st degree, carrying dangerous weapons and brandishing a facsimile firearm.

Carter and Clarke were also charged in connection with the gun incident on Fennway and charged with conspiracy to commit home invasion, criminal attempt to commit home invasion, conspiracy at burglary in the first degree, criminal attempt at burglary in the first degree, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree, criminal attempt at robbery in the first degree, first-degree threatening, carrying dangerous weapons, brandishing a facsimile firearm and interfering/resisting arrest.
Carter was also charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and possession of narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a daycare or school.

Bond for Carter and Clarke was set at $750,000.00, while bond for Blagrove was set at $250,000.

A Ledyard High School teacher who is charged with sexually assaulting a student has pleaded not guilty in court Monday.

William C. Friskey, 36, of East Lyme, is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a female student for about a year, and police said some of the encounters happened at school.

Friskey was arrested June 30 and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault.

The Ledyard High School Web site lists Friskey as a teacher of independent studies, journalism and English. Police said he began working at the school in August 2007.

According to the warrant for Friskey's arrest, the student was a high school senior who turned 18 in June.

She was in his English class her junior year and the two began emailing back and forth after school hours. By the end of the year, "they began sharing feelings and personal secrets," according to the arrest warrant.

The student started visiting him during her lunch breaks senior year and the two would perform sexual acts on one another in his classroom, the warrant says.

She also started going to his house on Pattagansett Court in the Niantic section of East Lyme, sometimes while Friskey's son was home, according to the warrant. They went on dates, and Friskey once reportedly wrote an email to the student asking why she considered him her lover and not her boyfriend.

"On several occasions, she attempted to end the relationship because she knew it was wrong," the warrant explains. "Mr. Friskey would always pull her back in by threatening to harm himself or telling her he couldn't live without her."

According to the arrest warrant, the student broke off the relationship in May "because she wasn't happy with their situation."

School administrators learned of the relationship when the technology coordinator found a letter from Friskey to the student in the recycling bin of Friskey's school-issued laptop, the warrant says.

In the letter, Friskey allegedly apologized for the sexual nature of their relationship and mourned the loss of their friendship, according to the warrant.

"The other thing is the thought of you seeing me as your abuser or even your rapist," the warrant quotes Friskey as saying in the letter. "I can't stand that thought. I deserve to feel that pain. I hope you don't see me like that."

Friskey has been placed on administrative leave, according to a statement from the Ledyard Board of Education. 

“As a school district, the Board continues to uphold high standards for our staff and anyone working with children. Staff members are in a position of significant trust and they must at all times be held responsible and accountable for adhering to established policies and the law," the statement says, in part. “The District is cooperating with the police investigation.”

A New Haven resident who suffers from ALS and just took took the Ice Bucket Challenge has called on all his Facebook friends to complete the challenge and donate, whether or not they choose to dump ice water over their heads.

David McClain's challenge is unique amid countless Ice Bucket Challenge videos nationwide — not just because he's passing it on to every Facebook friend, or because the Texas native used ice cubes shaped like his home state.

For McClain, who has been living with ALS for 12 years, the cause is personal.

"I am paralyzed from my shoulders down. I cannot speak, nor can I eat or drink. I am fed through a feeding tube. I cannot breath without assistance of a ventilator. But as bad as that sounds, I am able to keep a positive attitude with the help of my family, my friends and the good Lord today," he said with the help of an eye-scan machine on his ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video.

"I want to nominate all of my friends who I have on Facebook. Here is my challenge to each of you. Not only do I challenge you to take the ice bucket plunge, I also challenge you to make a donation of whatever you can to the ALS Association. With your help, we can find a cure for this horrible disease. There is always hope," he said.

McClain is paralyzed from the shoulders down and requires 24-hour care. Family members say he has defied the odds.

"The average lifespan when you're diagnosed is 3 to 5 years, and he's going on his 12th year of living with it," said McClain's wife, Donna.

After his diagnosis, no one expected him to walk his daughter down the aisle, but he gave her away and stole the show.

His daughter-in-law, Ashley, said that despite his struggles and deteriorating condition, her father-in-law never complains.

"He is the most positive individual I have ever met. Although he might have limitations, David will never once ask for pity from anyone he meets," Ashley McClain wrote in an email to NBC Connecticut. "He just wants to share his inspirational words."

She said that David McClain participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness and to encourage the public to show support by donating to the cause.

"Obviously, we didn't choose ALS for my dad. We didn't want that," she explained. "But you can choose your attitude, and his attitude toward it has blessed so many people."

More information on ALS and the Ice Bucket Challenge is available on the ALS Association Web site. You can help support David McClain by donating to his GoFundMe page.

Three East Haven residents, including two teens, are facing charges after allegedly stealing a car in Branford and trying to take tires off cars parked at a dealership, according to police.

Police said an officer in the area heard loud noises coming from the dealership at 384 West Main Street in Branford and headed over to investigate.

The suspects had fled by the time he pulled into the parking lot, but he arrived to find a running car with an ignition that had been tampered with and an SUV propped onto car jack with one of the tires partially pried off, according to police.

The officer called for backup and police reviewed video surveillance from the dealership. They were able to identify two suspects, both teenagers, who were found walking on West Main Street in East Haven near the Branford town line, according to police.

The teens, 18-year-old Josh Dippini and Marc Vargas, were arrested and taken into custody. Police also connected 23-year-old Jessica Covert to a car theft that took place around 4 a.m. and arrested her as well.

All three suspects were charged with various counts of larceny. Vargas was also charged with first-degree criminal trover to recover the stolen property.

Covert was held on $2,500 bond and was arraigned today. Dippini was released on a promise to appear and Vargas was released after posting $5,000 bond. They’re both due in court Aug. 26.

It turns out Larry Miles had two angels on a New Jersey highway August 8 when a motorcycle accident severed his femoral artery and almost took his life.

Two women worked together to tie a tourniquet around his leg that doctors say prevented him from bleeding out.

Debbie Parisi, a hospice nurse for Samaritan Healthcare, was driving to her aunt’s house to go swimming with her children that Friday morning.

When she came upon the accident, Parisi said the first thought to cross her mind was: "Oh man, this guy's in trouble."

Blood was pouring from Miles’ leg following a collision outside a Wawa on Route 30 in Winslow Township, New Jersey.

Parisi pulled over, sat down next to him and asked if anybody had a shirt to make a tourniquet.

“I don’t know why, but I just knew I had to stop the bleeding,” Parisi said.

Standing nearby, Maria Lopez offered her husband’s jacket.

The second woman to come to his aid, Lopez works at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital and has training to deal with emergencies, including first aid and CPR. 

“By the time I got there, there was too much blood,” said Lopez, who was driving to the Wawa Friday morning when she saw Miles lying in the middle of the road. “Nothing was being done.”

Unable to tie the jacket tightly enough on their own, the two women used a stick to constrict the blood flow as much as possible.

Minutes later, paramedics arrived and took Miles to Cooper Trauma Center in Camden. He remained hospitalized Friday evening, recovering from multiple surgeries to repair his severed artery.

Parisi and Lopez saw the story NBC10 published Thursday and reached out to Miles on Facebook. Parisi visited him Friday, and Lopez had plans to do the same.

Doctors said they expect Miles to make a full recovery, which would not have been possible without the help of Parisi and Lopez.

“There’s good people out there that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty — or in this case, their clothes bloody,” Miles said. “Girls rule, man!”

A Staten Island family is hoping to find the owners of a set of wedding photos that washed into their driveway during Sandy. 

When Sandy flooded Dominic and Patricia Guinta's Seaford Street home with 11 feet of water, friends of the couple quickly arrived to help clean up. Those friends found some waterlogged photos and took them back to Pennsylvania to dry them out.

They mailed the 53 black and white wedding photos back to the Guintas after Sandy, but the pictures went straight to storage while the couple spent a year repairing their home. It wasn't until last week that they found the pictures while they began remodeling the garage. 

"At first I thought they were my mother's wedding pictures. Then I looked and thought, 'Wait a minute. This isn't my family,'" said Patricia Guinta. 

Patricia Guinta grew up in Brooklyn and she believes the photos may have been taken there. 

"Anyone would be happy to get them back," she said. "Maybe it's a grandmother or an aunt." 

"They look to me like they were taken in the '60s. They look like someone's proofs," she said. 

The photo were in remarkably good condition. Patricia Guinta even put them in a photo album so they wouldn't get flat. 

The Guintas know the emotional and physical toll Sandy inflicted, and remain grateful for the kindness and generosity they received after the storm. They're hoping to pay forward some of the help they got by making sure the precious wedding photos find their way back to the family. 

"We had so much help. If we could find these people, it would be great because they would be really happy," said Dominic Guinta.

Do you know who these photos belong to? Please get in touch with us by tweeting @StaceyBell4NY or emailing tips@nbcnewyork.com. 

A New York City runway model who was missing for nearly two weeks has been found alive, police say.

Ataui-Deng Hopkins was found Monday at an area hospital, 12 days after she was last seen leaving the rooftop XVI Lounge on West 48th Street near Eighth Avenue on Aug. 6, according to the NYPD.

The 22-year-old models professionally under the name Ataui Deng. 

She has walked the runways for designers like Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen, Malandrino and Lanvin, according to New York Magazine. Hopkins has also appeared in Harper's Bazaar and Teen Vogue.

The Sudanese-born model has been modeling since she was 14 and lived in Texas before coming to New York City.

A spokeswoman at Trump Models, Hopkins' agency since 2008, said before the 22-year-old was found that everyone was worried about the "much loved" woman and had been making calls and trying to find her. Celebrities including Rihanna also tweeted her photo during the search.

Hopkins' friend, celebrity chef Roble Ali, said she had disappeared before for a day or two when she felt like she needed space. But he said he got worried about this most recent case because she'd never been gone so long.

In an Instagram post after she was found, Ali thanked police and friends for their efforts.

"She is safe and sound," he said. "I want to thank all of our friends and followers and especially the NYPD for their swift and dedicated response."

Two teenagers are charged in a brutal attack at an iconic Philadelphia park that was caught on camera.

Two of the three skateboarders police say were involved in the beating of a 35-year-old ranger at LOVE Park, captured on cell phone video, have been arrested, police officials announced Monday.

Curtis Tanner, 19, of Pottstown, was arrested at his mother's home. He's charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and making terroristic threats.

Police say Tanner was the one who attacked the park ranger. According to court records, Tanner is currently on probation for a 2013 robbery conviction. He also pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after a fight a few months ago.

• Previous Coverage: Skateboarder Violently Attacks City Park Ranger

A Pottstown 17-year-old boy and junior at Pottstown High School is also charged as a juvenile with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment. Police say the teen and his mother arrived at Central Detectives Monday afternoon.

Police are still searching for a third teen shown in the video.

• Police Search for Possible Suspect in Deadly Shooting Outside Peace Concert

Video of Friday's attack shows a teen kicking the ranger in the head repeatedly and spitting on him after he asked that they stop skateboarding in the park on 15th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

"Basically, he was just doing his job," witness Mariano Verrico of Essex Fells, New Jersey, who recorded the violent beating, said of the ranger.

The video shows the teens finally walk away when a man who appears to be dressed as Jesus walks towards them.

Verrico tells NBC10 he was too scared to try and stop the attack because he was outnumbered. He did escort the victim to a nearby police station and turned over his video.

The ranger suffered head injuries but is expected to make a full recovery, according to investigators. A skateboarding ban has been enforced at the iconic park since 2002.

Authorities are responding to Crescent Street in Norwalk after a man fell off the Interstate 95 overpass at exit 15, according to police.

The man was taken to the hospital for treatment. There has been no word on his condition.

No additional information was immediately available.

Amid mounting unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, where an officer shot and killed an unarmed teen last week, questions swirl about the use of military gear in local police departments.

Michael Brown’s death has sparked outrage across the country, and citizens are calling for police to ditch their body armor, assault rifles and military-style vehicles in an effort to prevent a similar incident from happening anywhere else.

But police say it’s an important program.

West Hartford police have recently inherited a grenade launcher now used to shoot tear gas, and department spokesman Lt. Ted Stoneburner said a similar device was used during a 2004 standoff in Newington, when an officer was shot and killed.

“It was a very essential part of what we were doing at that scene,” he explained.

In addition to the grenade launcher, West Hartford police have also acquired M16 rifles for their SWAT team, winter weather gear and emergency medical kits through a federal program that allows law enforcement to purchase surplus military equipment.

Police also point to the 1997 North Hollywood bank shootout during which two suspects with automatic weapons fired more than 1,100 rounds at police armed with handguns and shotguns. They argue that law enforcement needs to be prepared to deal with heavily armed suspects.

“Without that, there are a lot of departments that don’t have the funding to get the proper equipment, and you want your officers to have the best equipment available,” Stoneburner said.

Attorney David McGuire, of American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, agrees that the program may have its benefits but says
police departments should inform the public of the military items in their cache.

“There are departments that are using this equipment appropriately. Our concern is that there is no transparency and oversight,” McGuire said.

Authorities are at the scene of Greenbow Street and Chase Parkway in Waterbury, where a man has barricaded himself inside a home, according to police.

Police said no hostages have been taken. The man appears to be suicidal.

An Emergency Response Team is on the scene. Chase Parkway is closed to traffic while authorities investigate.

No additional information was immediately available.

Check back for updates.

A Hartford mom was drunk and her 2-year-old son was not in a car seat when she flipped her car in New Britain on Sunday evening, then ran from the scene of the crash, according to police.

Erika Carrasquillo, 29, drove off the road near the intersection of Burritt and Myrtle streets at 7:10 p.m. , rolled her car onto its roof, then hit a curb and a fence, according to police. 

Carrasquillo was able to pull herself and her son from the car, then ran off, but an officer responding to the crash scene found her nearby, police said.

Officers noted that Carrasquillo smelled of alcohol and said she failed roadside field sobriety tests. 

Breath tests later showed that her blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit, according to police.

Officers also determined that Carrasquillo has no license or insurance and that her son had not been secured in a child restraint seat.

Carrasquillo was not hurt.  Her son was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated as a precaution.  He
was treated and released to a family member.        

Carrasquillo was charged with driving under the influence, not having a license, risk of injury, having no insurance, evading responsibility, failure to drive right and failure to have a child seat.

It is not clear if she has an attorney.
 

Authorities are investigating after a woman was stabbed Monday night on Grove Street in Waterbury, according to police.

Police said the victim's injuries are not serious.

It's not clear if police have identified a suspect or are following leads.

No additional information was immediately available.