NEW HAVEN, CT – Police in New Haven responded to an early morning call of shots fired in October and now, three months later, have two suspects in custody.
On October 7, 2019 at approximately 4:16 a.m., New Haven Police and Fire /AMR responded to the report of gunshots in the area of 1605 Whalley Avenue, Regal Inn Motel. Through formal interviews and DNA analysis NHPD Major Crimes and Bureau of Identification Detectives developed a suspect, Willie Clark Jr., age 28, as the person responsible for the nonfatal shooting. On December 2, 2020, Det. M. Vensel secured an arrest warrant for Willie Clark for the following charges: Assault in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Use of a Firearm and Unlawful Discharge. On January 6, 2021, Willie Clark was taken into custody for the above charges.
Arrestee: Matthew Santos
On January 21, 2020, at approximately 6:54 p.m., New Haven Police responded to the area of 203 Spring Street for a ShotSpotter activation of seven (7) shots fired. Officers were then dispatched to Yale New Haven Hospital for the report of a non-fatal gunshot victim.
Through formal interviews and surveillance footage NHPD Major Crimes Detectives developed a suspect, Matthew Santos, age 19, as the person responsible for the gunfire and the non-fatal shooting. On February 18, 2020, Det. F. Salmeron secured an arrest warrant for Matthew Santos for the following charges: Assault 1st, Unlawful Discharge, Reckless Endangerment 1st, Carrying
a Pistol without a Permit and Weapons in a Motor Vehicle. On January 9, 2021, Matthew Santos was taken into custody for the above charges after he was extradited back to Connecticut from Atlanta, Georgia.