Officer's shooting results in charges

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A Connecticut police officer who opened fire on an unarmed couple's car, seriously wounding a woman, was charged Monday with assault and reckless endangerment.

State's Attorney Patrick Griffin said in an investigation report that Hamden officer Devin Eaton showed "an extreme indifference to human life" and that the use of force April 16 in New Haven was not justified.

Eaton, 29, who has been on the force for three years, posted $100,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Monday to face one count of first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.

His lawyer, Gregory Cerritelli, said Eaton and fellow officers are distraught by the arrest and the case sends a chilling message to law enforcement.

"Police officers are called upon to make split-second decisions and exercise their judgment and discretion," Cerritelli said. "It's a sad day for the law enforcement community because the message officer Eaton's arrest sends is that they need to be 100 percent right 100 percent of the time."

The shooting sparked protests in New Haven and neighboring Hamden and prompted calls from area clergy and activists for the two officers involved to be fired.

According to police, Eaton and Yale University officer Terrance Pollock both opened fire on the car, which matched the description of one involved in a reported attempted armed robbery, after the driver, Paul Witherspoon III, got out abruptly. Eaton's body camera video shows Witherspoon, who was not injured, starting to exit the car and appearing to raise his hands when Eaton begins shooting. Witherspoon then quickly gets back into the vehicle.

Eaton, who told authorities he thought Witherspoon had a gun, fired a few shots at the driver's side of the car, then ran to the other side and fired again, blowing out the passenger-side windows.

Witherspoon's girlfriend, Stephanie Washington, 22, was wounded but survived.

Investigators later determined Eaton fired 13 times and Pollock three times. Pollock's use of deadly force was found to be justified, Griffin said, because the officer believed Eaton and Witherspoon were exchanging gunfire.

Griffin said no weapons were found on Witherspoon, Washington or in the car.

A Section on 10/22/2019

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