New Haven police are investigating two homicides and two other shootings in their city Tuesday night.
Police said they were called to the first shooting at a home on Munson Street around 6 p.m. The victim, identified as 40-year-old Howard Lewis, of Hamden .
He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died.
Just after 7 p.m., officers were called to another shooting on Ferry Street near Fox Street in the Fair Haven neighborhood. A 20-year-old New Haven man was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg.
Officers responded to another shooting on State Street in the Cedar Hill neighborhood around 8:20 p.m. Police said the 18-year-old Hamden man had a gunshot wound to his chest.
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Shortly before 10:15 p.m., police responded to a ShotSpotter activation and a 911 call of a person shot.
Officers said they found 33-year-old Ibrahim Valentino Shareef Jr., of New Haven, inside a corner store on Whalley Avenue, between Hobart Street and Blake Street.
The New Haven man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Investigators said they believe they found the primary crime scene nearby on Blake Street.
The shootings come a day after New Haven police detailed their concerns about an increase in gun violence in the city.
Early Wednesday morning, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker released a statement about the shootings, saying, "I am heartbroken at the increase of violence in the City in recent days and the loss of members of our community. Across the country, our communities are grappling with a stifling economy, a global pandemic, and an increase in gun violence. Chief Reyes and I have been in nearly hourly communication to determine how to respond."
"Our City faces a confluence of issues that contribute to the violence, and we are working closely with our partners to address these challenges. Our community has already experienced so much loss and pain – I implore those who are involved in the violence to do the right thing and stop contributing to further loss of life," Elicker added.
The two homicides from Tuesday mark the tenth and eleventh homicides in New Haven this year, according to Elicker.
People who live or work in the area said they are shocked..
“It’s really devastating. You know the times that we’re living in right now it's just so critical to see people constantly getting killed,” Linda Perry, of East Haven, said.
Elicker and New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. to discuss a plan to address violent crime.
Anyone with information on any of the shootings is asked to contact the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6304.
