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State Trooper Cleared In Fatal Shooting Of Suspect On I-95 Bus In Norwalk

NORWALK, Conn. -- Connecticut State Trooper Marc Omara has been cleared in the shooting death of Hua Jian Ye during an attack aboard a Dahlia tour bus on I-95 in 2014, according to Connecticut State's Attorney Richard Colangelo.

Connecticut State Trooper Marc Omara has been cleared in the shooting death of Hua Jian Ye during an attack aboard a Dahlia tour bus in 2014.

Connecticut State Trooper Marc Omara has been cleared in the shooting death of Hua Jian Ye during an attack aboard a Dahlia tour bus in 2014.

Photo Credit: Richard Riordan

"It is the conclusion of this State’s Attorney that Trooper Marc Omara believed the use of deadly physical force was necessary to defend himself and the civilians present from the imminent use of deadly physical force," said a statement by Colangelo issued Wednesday. 

"It is further concluded that his belief was objectively reasonable. Therefore, I have determined that Trooper Marc Omara was justified in his use of deadly physical force upon Hua Jian Ye, and that such force was appropriate." 

The shooting occurred the evening of Oct. 14, 2014, while Ye was aboard a Dahlia tour bus. He boarded the bus in the Chinatown section of New York City, and it was bound for the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville. 

While the bus was on I-95 north in Connecticut, Ye began walking up and down the aisle of the bus and appeared to be using the light of his cellphone to look at other passengers, Colangelo's report said. 

When the passengers expressed their displeasure with Ye’s behavior, he suddenly pulled out a box cutter, and for no apparent reason, began slashing passenger Meici Chan in the face, the report said. 

Another passenger, Randy Chan, attempted to stop the assault by grabbing Ye and pulling him toward the front of the bus. Several of the bus passengers began calling 911 from their cellphones to report the attack, but dispatchers couldn't understand the situation because they were all speaking in Chinese.

The driver then pulled the bus into a construction zone on I-95 North at Exit 14 in Norwalk, where Omara was working. He encountered the suspect, who refused an order to drop the weapon and began scraping at his eyes with the cutter while still trying to attack the trooper, forcing Omara to fire 11 shots, striking and killing Ye.

Click here for original Daily Voice story.

Click here to read the entire state attorney's report.

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