The Office of Inspector General and Connecticut State Police are investigating a shooting the involved West Hartford Police officers on Sept. 29, 2026.

By Ronni Newton

An incident that occurred late in the evening of Sept. 29, 2026, when West Hartford officers were tracking a murder suspect, is now under investigation by the state’s Office of Inspector General and Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad, and an initial report has been released that provides more information, including about the use of deadly force by officers.

The officer-involved shooting of suspect Barrington Oneil Brown, 43, of Middletown, occurred at approximately 10:57 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2026, on Flatbush Avenue in Hartford.

According to a news release from Middletown Police, a suspicious death was discovered by police at approximately 3:23 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the West Lake area of the city. That incident involved a female victim who had “suffered a gunshot wound and other injuries and was found deceased at scene,” Middletown Police said in a news release.

According to a news release issued by the Inspector General on Oct. 3, the initial investigation indicated that Middletown Police issued a BOLO (“be on the lookout”) alert for a black Subaru Outback (CT BH 67627) that they believed was being driven by Brown.

“At approximately 10:48 p.m., the West Hartford Police Department received a Flock camera alert for the Subaru,” the Inspector General said. “Shortly thereafter, the West Hartford officers located it near New Park Avenue and Oakwood Avenue in West Hartford and began to pursue it. Stop sticks were deployed, which were successful in deflating one or more of the Subaru’s tires.”

The pursuit took place along Flatbush Avenue into Hartford, and West Hartford Police Ofc. Christian Montesdeoca was immediately behind the Subaru as it became disabled by the stop sticks. Dashcam video from his cruiser, released by the Inspector General’s office (see below), shows the pursuit, the vehicle becoming disabled, and Brown twice opening the driver’s side door of the vehicle and firing three shots at Montesdeoca.

Montesdeoca returned Brown’s fire by shooting through the front windshield of his cruiser before Brown exited the Subaru and was observed running between two residences, located at 56-58 Flatbush Avenue and 50-52 Flatbush Avenue in Hartford. Montesdeoca, as well as West Hartford Sgt. Raymond Narciso and Ofc. Amber Prose, joined the foot chase, as did several Hartford Police officers.

According to the Inspector General, Brown ran behind the two residences and jumped over a fence, approaching a black Acura parked in the rear of 50-52 Flatbush Avenue. The vehicle was running, and two teenagers were sitting inside – a 17-year-old male in the driver’s seat and a 19-year-old male in the front passenger seat. They were listening to music.

“Brown brandished a firearm and ordered the individuals to get out of the car. While the occupants were attempting to exit the vehicle though the front passenger door, the [17-year-old] juvenile sustained a superficial gunshot wound to his buttock. Brown entered the vehicle and attempted to drive it out of the parking area,” the Inspector General’s report states.

The three West Hartford officers, who were yelling to Brown to exit the vehicle and put his hands up, also fired at Brown from the other side of the chain link fence. Brown eventually complied with officers, exited the vehicle, raised his arms in the air, and got down on the ground to surrender to the officers, who took him into custody.

Police located a black handgun next to the vehicle, which was seized by detectives.

Brown sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder area during the incident and was rendered medical aid by officers at the scene before being transferred to Hartford Hospital for treatment of the non-life-threatening injury, police said. He was arrested by Middletown Police and following his discharge from the hospital was arraigned in Middletown Superior Court on charges of murder, second-degree stalking, and unlawful discharge of a firearm.

According to online court documents, Brown remains in custody with court-set bond set at $3 million, and is due back in court on Oct. 13.

None of the officers involved in the incident were injured, the Inspector General’s report states.

The juvenile was treated for his injury at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and released early in the morning of Sept. 30, the report states. Investigators are not yet sure at this stage whether the 17-year-old was shot by Brown or by officers who were firing at Brown.

West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick issued a statement following the release of the Inspector General’s initial report, that also included video from all three involved officers’ body worn cameras (see video links below). He said that the officers, “confronted with an immediate and dangerous threat, put their lives at risk while taking action to effect the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with a domestic violence homicide.”

Riddick added, “Thankfully, no one was seriously injured during the arrest. The West Hartford Police Department will fully cooperate with the office of Inspector General‘s investigation into this use of force incident, in an effort to ensure that the investigation can proceed as expeditiously as possible.”

Warning, content in the below videos may be disturbing to viewers.

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