STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut police reported on Wednesday that they discovered a decomposed body and numerous explosives inside a residence following a standoff that lasted several hours. During this incident, a man had barricaded himself inside the home and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement officers.
Authorities from Stamford police responded to the scene on Tuesday morning after a state marshal called 911 while attempting to evict the man under a court order. The man reportedly opened fire multiple times at officers throughout the day, damaging police vehicles, although no officers were injured in the exchange. In retaliation, the authorities fired back several times.
In the aftermath, law enforcement discovered the 63-year-old man dead from what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It was later revealed that as officers were clearing the home, they found a decomposed body on the second floor, alongside various explosives, which included pipe bombs, grenades, and Molotov cocktails. Police Chief Timothy Shaw described the situation as "an extremely dangerous incident that tragically resulted in the loss of two lives." He commended the dedication and efforts put forth by local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel and firefighters involved, including the hostage negotiators who attempted to communicate with the man for several hours.
The Stamford police bomb squad was subsequently called in to safely handle and remove the explosives before detectives began their crime scene investigation. Authorities confirmed they had identified the man who opened fire but were still working to determine the identity and cause of death of the second individual found in the home. Additionally, the state inspector general’s office is set to investigate the officers' use of deadly force during this incident.
Court documents indicated that a bank had foreclosed on the property, prompting demands for the residents to vacate the home in April due to failure in mortgage payments. A judge had ordered the eviction last month, having provided the tenants a chance to rectify the mortgage situation.
Efforts to reach an attorney who previously represented the suspect in the foreclosure proceedings via email went unanswered on Wednesday evening.
As the investigation continues, the case highlights the severe implications of eviction situations and the potential for escalated conflicts involving law enforcement. The presence of such high-risk materials as explosives only compounded the danger faced by the officers and the surrounding community during the standoff.
