Cops investigating apparent homicide in Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT -- Two days after a 15-year-old girl and a 30-year-old restaurant owner were fatally shot, city police are investigating an apparent homicide on East Main Street after a man's bullet-ridden body was found outside a barber shop Monday afternoon.

Police at the scene said they had no immediate information to release Monday afternoon. But the body of an unidentified male was lying in the street at about 2 p.m. while several bystanders walked by.

The Bridgeport Police Major Crimes Squad was on scene along with several detectives, and an ambulance dispatched to the shooting had not left the scene more than a half hour after the victim was shot.

The incident happened on East Main Street near the intersection of Seymour Street, outside the All-Star Barber Shop around 1:30 p.m.

Witnesses, who didn't want to be identified because they were afraid of becoming targets themselves, said they heard five gunshots. The apparent gunman was seen running from the scene, witnesses said.

"The violence in the city has been out of control," said a man named Juan, who lives in the area and only provided his first name. "It's scary. Something needs to change, because it's like you can't even go out, even during the day."

Kingsley Osei, founder of the Bridgeport-based Connecticut Against Violence group, said he was going to visit the family of the 15-year-old shooting victim, Keijahnae "Nu Nu" Robinson, who live in the East Side off of East Main Street.

On his way, he spotted the police activity and stopped at the scene.

"This can't go on anymore," Osei said. "We have to do something about this gun violence."

Osei said his organization will be hosting "A Bridgeport Summit" on Friday, Aug. 24, to attempt to help young people from being pulled into the gang-related activity and violence plaguing the city.

But Osei said it's going to take city officials, and other community leaders, to make change happen.

"We gather in a room and you have all the resources available," Osei said, referencing the two crime forums held by Mayor Bill Finch and featuring local, state and federal law enforcement officials. "But we come out of there and that's it. Nothing comes from it. There are people in the community who want to see the violence stopped and the city needs to reach out to us, we've reached out to them."

As police investigate the third homicide in as many days, the first two homicide investigations remain underway.

Police are looking for two men who tried to rob the owner of a Wood Avenue Chinese restaurant as he locked up just after midnight and shot the man, Min Li Zhao, in the chest when he fought back. Zhao was taken to Bridgeport Hospital and later died.

Two hours later, police said a group of teens who had left a "Sweet 16" party at the White Eagle Club and were hanging out on the porch of a Brooks Street home were shot at by two other men, who have not been identified. Three teens were hit, including Robinson, who was shot in the head and died at the hospital. The two other teens survived.

Detective John Tenn said the Brooks Street homicide investigation is "slow," because "the lack of cooperation is staggering to say the least."

He said there have been no tips sent to Text-a-Tip, iWatch Bridgeport or the gang hotline, 203-334-4264. Tenn pleaded with people who saw the shooting to come forward.

"If you do not cooperate then do not complain that the police are not doing their job," Tenn said. "Gun control and curfews is not the answer. Finding another way to air your differences without violence is."

The city council is expected to vote on a proposed curfew ordinance this week.

Monday's shooting would be the 14th homicide in Bridgeport this year.

Anne M. Amato contributed to this story.

tcleary@ctpost.com; 203-540-9827; http://twitter.com/tomwcleary

Read More @ Source

Criminal Stories Here