Man fatally shot in Hartford’s South End, another detained after multi-town police pursuit

One man was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in Hartford’s South End, just before another person led police on a multi-town chase that ended at original crime scene.

The driver of that car has been detained and is being called a “person of interest” in the shooting.

The 29-year-old Hartford man who was killed has not been identified publicly, pending notification of his family, Lt. Paul Cicero said.

The shooting and strange chase began after reports of gunfire at about 3 p.m. near 528 Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford.

Police responding to the shooting spotted a gray Monte Carlo speeding away from the scene and gave chase, Cicero said. The “well-controlled” pursuit stretched from Interstate 91, down Route 515 into Wethersfield, Newington and ultimately back to the crime scene on Wethersfield Avenue, he added.

It was not immediately clear why the man returned to the scene, but he was detained by police without further incident or injury, Cicero said.

“Major Crimes detectives are interviewing him right now,” Cicero said. “I think everybody wants to know the answer to that.”

During the chase, the shooting victim was transported to Hartford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Cicero said.

Detectives expected to remain on scene late into the evening and Wethersfield Avenue, which was closed for several hours during the investigation, was reopened at about 8:30 p.m.

Police believe the shooting happened after an argument between several men behind the building at 528 Wethersfield Avenue on a driveway that stretches back to where the victim was found and the shots likely were fired.

The city’s ShotSpotter gunshot detection system reported six shots in the area, but police believe at least 10 shots were fired, Cicero said. Detectives also are reviewing the Capital City Command Center cameras in the area for any further information about what may have happened.

A handgun that had been ditched on I-91 has been recovered and police will examine whether it was used in the shooting, Cicero added.

Zach Murdock can be reached at zmurdock@courant.com.