As summer gun violence spikes in cities across Connecticut, leaders are pushing for resolution with a community strained both by a lingering coronavirus pandemic and a heightened distrust of police and public institutions.
In New Haven and Hartford, shootings are up compared to the past year and New Haven was dealt a further blow when a spate of shootings left three dead and more than a half-dozen injured this past week. Hartford’s homicides are down slightly, but shootings are up 20% over last year, according to recent statistics from the city.
In an impassioned plea to residents, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the community needs to come together to root out the violence.