[Updated, May 1, 2:45 p.m.] The West Hartford Police Department identified the suspect who has been charged in a Saturday night disturbance.
By Ronni Newton
West Hartford Police said a suspect who initially fled the scene of a disturbance was quickly taken into custody Saturday evening.
According to Sgt. Amanda Martin, police responded to what they called a “minor disturbance” around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of 20 Dover Road, which is the address of Beth David Synagogue at the corner of Dover Road and Farmington Avenue, just east of West Hartford Center.
According to police, a male suspect fled the scene but was quickly located one street away on Robin Road and taken into custody. Roadways in the area were briefly closed while police were searching for the suspect, but were reopened once he was apprehended.
Police on Sunday afternoon identified the suspect as Joseph Yankus, 30, of Robin Road.
Police did not provide any more specific details about the nature of the disturbance or where the suspect was located, but noted that a firearm was recovered at 5 Robin Road, which they indicated as the address of the suspect, and which is a condominium building at the corner of Farmington Avenue and Robin Road, just a block from where the disturbance was reported.
Yankus was being held Sunday on $500,000 surety bond pending an appearance in court and has been charged with first-degree threatening, two counts of second-degree breach of peace, first-degree reckless endangerment, and interfering with an officer.
According to police the incident appears to be isolated, and there is no current threat to the public.
Anyone who has further information about this incident is asked to please contact West Hartford Police either at the main number, 860-523-5203, or via the anonymous tip line at 860-570-8969 or through the confidential email tip line [email protected].
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The WHPD calls this a minor incident, a man running around with a gun before he tosses it in a densely populated neighborhood, because they always have to ‘appear’ as the ‘NO CRIME TOWN, as opposed to, say, Hartford. Fess up, WH and WHPD, no matter how you always try and hide it, lots of us know its there.
Just reporting what was in the press release because that is all we know for sure that can be verified. This story has now been updated