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NORWALK, Conn. – The sudden appearance of many guns shocked a Norwalk neighborhood Thursday afternoon, putting day care workers in evacuation mode and forcing residents to stay inside after they received an alarming phone call from the city.
A 24-year-old man, armed with a high-caliber rifle, was holed up at 4 Hillside Ave., threatening to shoot anyone in sight in his anger stemming from a domestic dispute, Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik said. The standoff lasted more than an hour, as police swarmed the area, closing off streets and telling pedestrians to wait. Officers were poised to shoot the man if necessary, because he had fired a bullet to show he was serious, Kulhawik said. As the standoff ended, an armored truck finally arrived.
One mother on Hillside, whose shrubs were festively decorated with cobwebs, said she came out with her garbage to find police in the neighborhood, armed with rifles. "What's going on?" she asked.
She was baffled by the sudden uptick in violence in the city: She said her children had been in Flax Hill Park on Tuesday when a 17-year-old boy was screaming and bleeding profusely after being punched in the face. And Wednesday's carjacking at the nearby Stop & Shop was also on her mind.
"I don't know what's wrong with these people," said Michael Grant, who lives at 21 Hillside with his 19-year-old daughter and her 4-week-old baby. "The economy? ... These people are going crazy in this world."
Grant said he used to be a violent person and served four years in prison for manslaughter, which turned around his life. He now helps young people as a youth minister at Bethel AME Church.
He had little sympathy in this situation. Now waiting for disability payments, Grant earns $100 a day collecting cans and bottles, he said. "You can go out and find work," he said.
David Simmons had been upstairs in the old Benjamin Franklin Middle School, directly behind the home where the armed man was. "They said everybody have to leave, evacuate the building. But you can't leave, you gotta go to the gym," he said.
Officers searched the building, which includes the Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now Child Development Program and Employment Training Center. "For what?" he asked. "But then again, the smart thing was to send the children. They should be downstairs anyway."
Jewel Chowdhury was grinning from ear to ear, after picking up his 3-year-old son from the child development program. "I was scared, my son was in the NEON school," he said. "That is why I am so excited to come here, it's OK. Now is very good because my son is here."
Comments (22)
I am snssunrise7 and i have not commented since my initial post.
I can also report that i spoke to the mayor on Sunday evening when he returned my call.
I repeat what i said to him. I do not blame him or the police for the increase in crime. I believe they are doing all they know what to do to prevent the crime. I just think there must be something else that can be done. Something they have not thought of. I wish i knew what that was.
I also spoke to one of our city council members this weekend. She says it is the families that do not control their kids. I agree that is a big part but not all.
I say the crime is located in one area of Norwalk and everyone knows where that is. The good people in East Norwalk, Rowayton and all the "nice" neighborhoods, including mine, is very happy to keep it contained. Well that containment area is a big part of Norwalk. It is the area that people want to come to. It is an attraction and the attraction will fade if we do not clean it up.
I agree with what one of the ranters said in an earlier post. I want the crime spoken about in the City Council meetings because that would give it importance. It would let me believe that it is being taken more seriously. Maybe that is petty and means nothing but it needs to be it there for everyone to see.
I agree that I have not been one to step forward with the answers and i respect anyone that has the courage and the knowledge to do so. That includes the mayor, police and even the council members. But you all have stepped forward and we are counting on you all to fix it.
I for one admit i do not have the answers, but there must be something. If Guilliani could clean up Times Square we can clean up South Norwalk.
Absurd reasoning
Don't you think it's too bad that the people who constantly complain about Norwalk and the duly elected officials can't move to a small town and get themselves elected as mayor or police chief?
These duly elected officials need to find another city to play in there are more of us (victims) than the losers Norwalk has voted them in under the impression they are for the people.
Election year stalls action,most of the elected officials have been touched by this voilence yet spineless men who have had family directly involved in crime around the schools sit in meetings at city hall and never a word on what they went thru.One wife works in a schoool,State reps kid was in the last school lockdown,one council member says his people are in the thick of it,those use to be Democrats working numbers to save their arse have nothing to say in fact they were never notified some found out because they came upon the roadblocks.
The mayor spent most of 20 minutes telling the news there are other places worse off than Norwalk.Looks like someone must write for Dick nearby.
The question is who was taking care of the other 99,999 people in Norwalk as they were taking care of one gunman?
Can't look at facts the news crews brought that out by asking questions,what about crime in Norwalk Dick?
Political posturing by our elected officials,where was Duff Perone and whats his name? Moccia makes sure the token black guy is at his side from South Norwalk when there needs to be a deal made but why include council members when a shooting happens Bridgeport they do.
Insulting to think Norwalk has people who think if you don't like it move and what give away a house the mayor has made worthless by letting crime run the city,or is it let our real estate zar sell a home by not preforming in the state house?
Why do most Norwalk officials have real estate conections,construction or towing concerns in Norwalk as well?
Te city is ripe the news crews has seen this,damage control at its best shows the worst Norwalk has to offer.Eyes rolled all the way thru the news conference the Mayor had ,news reporters local are crapped upon all the time and tale it but when the big guns come in to Norwalk well just look at the expression on Moccias face.It makes people laugh becuase most have no respect for the Mayior he gets what he gives.
So election year has brought a lot of faceless and spineless politicians to the forefront can't rock the boat and pull for those victims may lose 1 vote because they stand up and have had enough of thier own tragedy or involvement with Norwalk crime.
Suppose East Norwalks concern stops at the bridge for those elected men and woman who talk concern for Norwalk.
Must be hard when you have been elected to get something in the news that doesn't have a string attached to it.
Fed up Norwalkers have had enough and moving isn't an option for those who are trying to be like those politiicains and suggest its time to get out and be on the move grow up.
Most Norwalk politicians have two faces one before and one after the election,so next time you vote remember wehat face your voting for.
Brilliant, Paige! People always find things to complain about, and want others to do for them.
There is so much crime in Norwalk. There are shooting on a regular basis. When was the last time you saw the mayor in a press conference about a shooting. Not when the guy was gunned down in the barbershop on Woodward. Not when a family had to hide behind their mini van to get out of the line of fire. Not when a little girl had bullets fly through her bedroom wall. Not when there was a stabbing victim just dumped at the hospital. There was a shoot out on Novak a few weeks back. Not one press conference. There was a dead body found. There are drugs being openly sold on street corners.
But everyone is at the press conference promising justice for the yet unidentified woman from Greenwich shot in the supermarket parking lot. Don't get me wrong. I feel very bad for her.
This should not happen to anyone.
But is this what it takes to get some action. For people to actually realize that there is a big problem.
When will our city council put crime on the agenda to be spoken about in the open. To be discussed at the City Council Meetings. To let the people hear what is being done.
Most respectfully, ssnsunrise 7, are you asking the Council members to take over the job of the police? The job of the Council is to oversee the running of the administration via contracts, project approvals and budgetary items. They were not issued capes or badges when they were sworn in.
Are people sick and tired of having crime occur in Norwalk? Yes, they are. I wasn't too thrilled to get the phone call about the shooter on Hillside Avenue and was worried sick about friends and neighbors who were actually right on the perimeter of the incident. But neither the police, the Mayor nor Common Council members had anything to do with the situation that was created. The one and only person responsible for that whole incident was William Loeffel.
Regarding the shots fired on Woodward Avenue, that was caused by Terrick Vanlierop of Bridgeport who has now been arrested.
The incident when the shots were fired into the child's bedroom may not ever be solved simply because it's difficult to identify where a stray bullet came from.
Willy Samuel of New Haven was the one who stabbed the man in the barbershop and he has been arrested.
I would most respectfully like to point out that out of the three incidents I mentioned above, two of the perps came from outside of Norwalk. The Shell Station gas attendant who was murdered a few years ago was also killed by someone from out of town. I could name a host of other victims that have been murdered in this city by out of towners.
It's easy to take pot shots at the mayor and the council members, but if someone were to actually run for election and win, they would find out very, very quickly that it's a tough job. Exactly how will you prevent crime from occuring? How are you going to keep non-residents from entering our fair city and committing felonies? How are you going to control our own residents and keep them from stabbing, shooting or otherwise harming their neighbors?
I don't think Alex Knopp, Steve Seirasis, or Andy Garfunkel would have been able to stop any of the crimes that have occured while Moccia has been in office. That's because the crimes are committed by individuals who usually don't care about breaking the law. They want what they want when then want, and they don't care who gets in harms way while they are getting it. That's really the bottom line. Think about it.
@Pagieie
"Most respectfully, ssnsunrise 7, are you asking the Council members to take over the job of the police? "
There you go again putting words in the mouth of people that you don't agree with...At no point did sunrise ever suggest that the council take over the job of the police.
What sunrise did suggest was
When will our city council put crime on the agenda to be spoken about in the open. To be discussed at the City Council Meetings. To let the people hear what is being done.
Pagieie
Maybe you are not aware that the the job of the Council is not only to oversee the running of the administration via contracts, project approvals and budgetary items. They also have a public safety committee that has failed to do its job miserably.
Its unfortunate that the police commission seems to just be a rubber stamp for the mayor as if they were worth anything they would demand change.
Pagieie it seems you have no shame as the arrests you quote in your post either never happened or the ones that did were made by outside agencies and not the NPD.
Also do not waste your time with copy and paste of some B/S article that leaves out the true facts as we are all on to you at this point.
Its seems you have no shame but to embarrass yourself time and again sticking up for a failed administration and a failed police department..You remind me of the small child who gets caught in a lie and keeps on tell more lies to get out of the original and making even a bigger fool of themselves..
Pagieie open your eyes most if not all of Norwalk know the NPD and mayor are a failure.
"Maybe you are not aware that the the job of the Council is not only to oversee the running of the administration via contracts, project approvals and budgetary items. They also have a public safety committee that has failed to do its job miserably."
Uh, Timmy,
The last time that the Public Safety Committee met, or at least published an agenda, was May 9th. The Emergency Management Update report included a program with Congressman Himes, a 2012 Hurricane update along with some information on an upcoming Statewide Disaster Exercise that was scheduled for July. There was also a Summer safety fair slated for discussion.
The Health, Welfare and Public Safety Committee of the Common Council met on September 27th and the discussion was about the Fire Department Entry Level Exam. All that information is available right here
http://www.norwalkct.org/Archive.aspx?AMID=101
As for the Police Commission being the Mayor's rubber stamp, I can't say. That would have to be left up to Mr. Torrano and Mr. O'Connor to determine whether they are or not.
"Also do not waste your time with copy and paste of some B/S article that leaves out the true facts as we are all on to you at this point."
The articles that I copy and paste are for the most part from The Hour or The Norwalk Daily Voice. Thanks for cluing us in on what you think of their publications.
Have a nice night.
@Norwalk Lifer
The Norwalk PD brought this very dangerous situation to a safe conclusion with zero injuries. The officers involved deserve praise for this excellent outcome, yet you have inexplicably concluded that this is the appropriate time and place to trash the PD and elected officials who happen to see the world a bit differently from you. On reading your comment, I lost much of the respect I had for you which came from reading some of your prior thoughtful contributions to these pages. I know we're in an election year and that can inflame passions, but crass partisanship such as this is for 12-year-olds.
Morning, Spoon!
How are you today?
I agree that it was really great that the NPD brought the situation to a close without loss of life or injury to anyone. I guess that's not good enough for some people, though.
I was doing some research on line and did you know that there are three Connecticut towns that have less than 1,000 residents? Those are Bantam, Groton Long Point, and Union. New York State has a whole flock of them, and some are close by, like Scott's Corners. Some of the New York towns have less than 500 people in them.
Don't you think it's too bad that the people who constantly complain about Norwalk and the duly elected officials can't move to a small town and get themselves elected as mayor or police chief? Then they can run the town the way they think it should be done. And an added benefit is that they'll be far away from the NPD, which they despise above all else.
Just a thought.
@Pagieie
Once again you are wrong what the NPD did do was escalate a bad situation and make it worse. They acted in a completely unprofessional and in an untrained manner. If they were professions they would have deescalated the situation.
I and many in Norwalk believe the response was all for show do to the many many failures and also do to the horrid day of violent crime on Wed (ALL Unsolved AS USUAL)
Also Pagieie you wasted your time with your research as its not up to the taxpayer to move due to a failure of an administration and the failure of a police department . It is up to the administration and the police department to move out of their positions. See Pagieie the administration and the police work for the taxpayer and not the other way around.Maybe you don't understand this has maybe you don't pay taxes..
I have to say this post and your logic or lack of is the most ignorant post you have made yet and that is saying something,
Timmy,
When I was checking on the agendas for the Public Safety Commission and the Health Welfare and Public Safety Committee, I happened to notice that the Police Commission will be meeting tomorrow at 4 p.m. That's a perfect opportunity for you to go there, I think it's held at Police Headquarters, and tell the Police Chief, the Mayor, and the Commissioners exactly what you think. I'm sure they would be very appreciative.
Pagieie
Oh so you know admit that the council has a say in police protection..thank you for admitting your error
Timmy,
If you have a problem with the Police Commission, you need to go to the Commissioners and tell them face to face. You were the one that claimed they are rubber stamps for the Mayor, not me. I just told you where they would be and when. I stated fact. The rest is up to you.
Odd, you were just posting how upset you were I drive an Audi, and now suddenly I have no car? Make up your mind!
Steve,
Sounds like something got deleted. Everything okay?
Here we have Pony Tail Steve imagining things again..Please provide a link to your lie...
We should burn down the hood and build expensive housing. That will solve our problems.
That's one of the wisest posts in the thread. Small towns don't have these issues and one reason is a lack of suitable habitat for the people ho commit these crimes. That said I to have to wonder if its wise or the police to be armed with and ready to use high powered rifles in the city. I'm not fond of the paramilitary type units in the first place but a bunch of guys with M16s in a city is very dangerous. Their bullets are just as dangerous and carry just as far as the ones the shooter used.
Ken,
I sincerely hope you were referring to my post about moving to a small town of 500 or less rather than the comment about burning down the hood.
The reason that I made it was simply because the Libertarian Party has been working for a number of years to have committed libertarians move to a particular state with the full intention of becoming involved in local politics and eventually taking the state over as a Libertarian haven. I actually know someone who relocated and is now involved in the town's politics as an elected official. It's not easy. There are always issues to deal with from speeding, education, and property rights down to the smell of manure and rogue cows.
Even in a small town crime happens. It's less likely to be as frequent as we have here, but once you get over 10,000 people, you've got friction.
Regarding the high powered rifles, I don't think the police carry them that often. But I would want them to have them if they needed them. Being somewhat familiar with the topography around Hillside, I have no problem with the fact that they needed them for this situation.
Yes, I agree, if it's Woodward Avenue, West norwalkers say nothing, now that it's creeping into their neighborhoods, suddenly everyone is up in arms about violence in this city,
I, too, believe the NPD has become too political, and that's not good for those of us who play by the rules and just want to live in a city that USED to be great.
Moccia should go, and so should his pals
Regards
NL
"She was baffled by the sudden uptick in violence in the city: "
Lady not to be rude but where have you been for the past 4years. it's not exactly sudden..This is what happens when you have a mayor and police command that are in denial..This is also what happens when you have a police department that is incompetent with almost zero violent crimes solved by them ..It seems the only time we have a good arrest its done by an outside agency . When the NPD make an arrest its always seems to be the wrong person as we have seen so many times including this past Wed. The mayor had a chance to do a nationwide search to get the best candidate for a new chief to clean house at the NPD from the top down. However the mayor was more concerned with the police union endorsement than the taxpayers.