Waterbury police have arrested a 19-year-old Waterbury man who is suspected of shooting a man and four women at Brass Mill Center in Waterbury on Tuesday afternoon.
Police said the suspect and male victim knew each other and this was not a random shooting.
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WATCH HEREThe mall will reopen on Thursday after being closed Wednesday. A spokesperson said stores will open at 10 a.m.
The teenage suspect, Tajuan Washington, was held on $2 million bond and it remains at $2 million after an appearance in court on Wednesday.
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SIGN UP Prosecutors wanted to increase the bond while his defense team said Washington asked to have it lowered.
The defense attorney said Washington had trauma from losing a family member to gun violence and was acting in self defense.
The state responded, saying there was no evidence that anyone else had a gun.
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Police said he has been charged with five counts of assault in the first degree as well as weapons violations.
Officers responded to the mall on Union Street at around 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday and they found five victims, one man and four women between 18 years old and their mid-20s, who were shot in the central part of the mall.
Investigators determined that the shooter had left the mall.
As they were conducting surveillance on the house, they located the suspect there and he went to police headquarters, police said during a news conference on Wednesday.
Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski Jr. said three of the five victims have been released from the hospital while the two others remain hospitalized.
Pernerewski said the incident escalated when two young men who know each other and had history, "got into a beef" and the shooter pulled a gun and shot the other man who was with four young women, injuring all five.
The most seriously injured victim is a young woman who was shot in the spine, the mayor said. She now has feeling in her extremities and she will be going through some rehab.
Police said they issued a warrant and have seized two rifles, but they do not have the gun used in the shooting at the mall. Authorities believe it was a semi automatic pistol.
“Gun violence isn’t something we will ever accept. It is not OK to come to a mall and then find yourself a victim of gun violence. It is not OK for someone to come here to work and find themselves hiding, sheltering in place,” Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell Higgins said during a news conference.
The Brass Mill Center management team issued a statement on Wednesday.
"We are working in full cooperation with the Waterbury Police Department and local officials as they investigate this unfortunate incident. There is no ongoing threat to the public and we will open under normal operating hours once cleared by the city. We extend our sincere gratitude to the local emergency responders for their prompt action and will continue to closely monitor the situation. Any further questions should be directed to the Waterbury Police Department at this time."
Officials will be meeting about safety at the mall and what can be done to make sure that people feel safe.
People who were inside the mall during the shooting sheltered in place.
Outside the mall after the shooting, they described a frightening and chaotic scene as it was happening.
“It was like fireworks,” Vanessa Dragoj, a mall employee, said.
“It was so scary. We had so many kids inside,” she added.
Gov. Ned Lamont issued a statement about the incident, calling it a tragic shooting.
"We are grateful to law enforcement, who acted swiftly...Our hearts break for the Waterbury community, the victims, and their families who have been impacted by this incident," Lamont said.
Washington’s next court date is set for June 4.
