The state police major crime unit is investigating a tense standoff between a man and New Britain police that ended in tragedy.
The man at the center of the standoff was pronounced dead at 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
The hours-long standoff began around 6:45 p.m.on Monday.
Someone called New Britain police, saying there was a disturbance on the third floor of 141 Broad Street. When police arrived, the situation escalated.
“They encountered a male individual on the third floor being disruptive, hollering, throwing objects out of the window,” said Lt. Paul Vance with state police.
Witnesses said the man threw a piano, a lamp and several other objects from the apartment window and threatened to jump if police entered the building.
“We see the guy outside the window, throwing stuff at police — candles, keyboards, TVs,” Matt Laczynski said.
A SWAT team responded, along with a K9 unit and dozens of officers.
Police also blocked off a portion of Broad Street to keep people away as the situation unfolded.
Around 9:30 p.m., police entered the man’s apartment and unsuccessfully tried getting him to surrender.
Lt. Vance said the man tried fighting officers, and that’s when one fired a stun gun.
“They got him under control. … As they were taking him down to the first floor of the apartment building, the subject appeared to have difficulty breathing,” Vance said.
The man was transported to New Britain Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 2 a.m.
The medical examiner’s office will determine his cause of death.
The officer who fired the stun gun he has been placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of this investigation, which is protocol.
State police are investigating with assistance from New Britain police and the New Britain State's Attorney Office.
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