TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY CAUTION : DISTURBING CONTENT

 

 

The video below, on its face value, looks bad. But as we always hear, there is usually two sides to every story.

The individual in the video below being apprehended by HPD Officers, is a convicted felon with a history of gun possession. He was observed by two officers near Mather and Garden Streets in Hartford. The officers stopped to check him out and thought he may have a weapon under his jacket.
One of the officers conducted a quick pat down and felt what he thought was a gun. As he reached for his handcuffs to detain the man, the suspect swung around and elbowed the other officer in the face breaking his nose and injuring his eye.

A foot chase ensued and the suspect was apprehended about a block away. He refused to comply, but was eventually taken to the ground and arrested.

Now watching the video, it looks much different and the person shooting the video  readily adds his own vulgar narrative, but they never show a closeup of the injured Officer's face, streaming blood. This video is meant more to inflame than it is to provide factual evidence. My understanding is that none of the video has been turned over to HPD as of this point.

I have seen pictures of the injured officer and they provide a very different side to this story. As of this point HPD has not been helpful to provide the other side of this story, and I am not sure why. I think rather than running on emotion both sides should be put out to avoid further complications.

I am trying to be able t to obtain the photos of the injured officer to post here to present both sides.

UPDATE: 
 As I was writing this , a source outside of HPD sent me the pictures of the injured officer I have confirmed their authenticity with HPD and to make sure the release would not interfere with any investigation.

The video below is unedited  as well as offensive in the language used, please mute the audio if you are offended by strong language

DROPPING LIKE FLIES

The details are still a little thin. No one at HPD is commenting officially, but it seems as though another HPD veteran officer is quickly heading toward the ranks of the unemployed after his arrest last night. It seems as though Hartford Fire isn't the only agency dealing with battles with the bottle.

 HPD Veteran Officer Israel Zea was arrested early this morning by his own Department. Zea, according to sources, was arrested on a multitude of charges, including home invasion and domestic violence related charges.

The charges resulted after Zea arrived on the porch of his girlfriends home in the Frog Hollow section of the City. After being denied entry, Zea broke down the front door and entered the home and allegedly assaulted the female. HPD was notified and Zea was arrested.

Specifics and further information was not available from Deputy Chief Brian Foley. Zea's  current status as a Hartford Police Officer could not be established at this time either

HPD is in a very critical position now for staffing due to retirements, discipline problems are also currently taking their toll ,


UPDATE:

After I posted the issue above, HPD quickly responded and released the details of the incident, which as you can see are identical to what I posted, it will be interesting to askhow much overtime Zea and others like Stachowitz have been working in overtime and has that resulted in increased stress and alcohol abuse in the Department.

On June 29, 2015 at 12:29am, Hartford Police Department patrol officers were dispatched to Lincoln Street for an domestic violence incident involving an off-duty police officer. The victim reported that Israel Zea forced entry into the her apartment and assaulted her. On arrival, HPD Officers located Zea in the second floor apartment being detained by two witnesses. The female victim sustained facial trauma and was treated at Hartford Hospital. Zea sustained facial injuries while being subdued by the two witnesses but refused medical treatment. Internal Affairs Investigators arrived on scene and took over the investigation. Probable cause was established and Zea was arrested, charged and taken to the HPD booking facility.

 

Arrested: Israel Zea, 6/9/66, 253 High St Harford, CT

Charges:

1.       Burglary 2^nd

2.       Assault 3^rd

3.       Criminal Mischief 2^nd

4.       Criminal Trespass 1^st

Domestic Violence $50,000 Bond

Victim: Female, 47 of Hartford

 

A separate administrative investigation has been initiated. Israel Zea has been an officer for approx. 17 years, he has been placed on unpaid suspension.

FROM HPD: DETAILS OF RAWSON SCHOOL HOMICIDE

HPD Deputy Chief Brian Foley addresses the media after the deadly shooting on the basketball court at Rawson School

 

The details:

 

On Saturday, June 27, 2015, at 4:30pm Hartford Police Department Patrol Officers and Shooting Task Force Detectives responded to the basketball court at 260 Holcomb Street after several 911 calls for shots fired. Upon arrival, officers encountered a chaotic scene with numerous individuals fleeing from the basketball court area of the school. A basketball tournament was being held at this location with hundreds of people attending. Officers located a male victim (Identified as James Headen, 41 of Hartford) suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to St. Francis Hospital via ambulance. As this was occurring, 3 other victims arrived separately at St. Francis by private vehicles. These 3 victims were each suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. At 10:49pm James Headen was pronounced deceased.

 

Victims:

James Headen, 41 of Hartford, was shot in the head. (Pronounced deceased at 10:49pm)

Justin Jones, 23 of Hartford, was shot in the hip/groin. (Stable, admitted, non-life threatening)

Shawn Patterson, 24 of Hartford, was shot in the hand. (Treated and released)

Roosevelt Holmes, 23 of Windsor, was shot in the calf/ankle area. (Treated and released, taken into police custody)

 

Detectives from the Major Crimes Division and Crime Scene Division began the investigation. During the course of the investigation, it was learned that a basketball tournament was taking place at a basketball court adjacent to the Rawson School when the shooting occurred. Major Crimes Detectives, STF  Detectives and patrol officers all received information that Roosevelt Holmes a.k.a. “Roe” became involved in a dispute while the tournament was taking place. (It is, at this time, unclear who this dispute was with, but it does not appear that it was with any of the other victims) Holmes was not a participant in the tournament. The dispute escalated and numerous shots were fired. This is when James Headen, who by all accounts was an innocent bystander, was struck in the head. This is also when the other 3 victims were struck by gun fire.

 

At St. Francis, Patrol Officers detained the transporting vehicles and drivers. Evidence, to include at least one firearm believed to be involved in this incident, was secured. This firearm was found in the vehicle which delivered Roosevelt Holmes to the Hospital. Upon release from the hospital, Holmes was taken to the HPD Major Crimes for interview. Following the interview he was placed under arrest and charged, held on a $1,000,000 bond. Holmes , a convicted felon, could potentially face further charges.

Charges:

1.       Criminal Possession of a Firearm

2.       Criminal Attempt/Assault First Degree

3.       Reckless Endangerment First Degree

4.       Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm

 

This investigation is ongoing. We are asking for any witnesses to please reach out to the Hartford Police Department. We believe that video evidence exists to this event. We are asking for any assistance in obtaining this video. Anonymous sources can contact HPD anonymously at our website. The Major Crimes Division is continuing to investigate this homicide and the investigation is progressing.

http://www.hartford.gov/Police

WHY THE NEED FOR STEALTH

 

Hartford's Fire Chiefs new $70,000 plus Tahoe, his new City Car.

I know I sometimes focus on the "little things" but maybe if our Mayor and others at City Hall began focusingn the little things, they just might not turn into the bigger things.
As one honest candidate for Mayor has consistently stated, the City of Hartford is broke. The honesty is refreshing but I am not sure Segarra or any of his associates are ready to recognize that fact.Moody's and the financial rating groups all seem to get it, but our current Mayor doesn't,

The picture's above are a perfect example.. Apparently our Fire Chief has a brand new luxury SUV as his City vehicle. WHY? Maybe if Chief Huertas wants more money to hire his much needed Assistant Chief to cover his deficiencies, just maybe laying out $70,000 plus for his loaded Tahoe isn't the best way to manage a budget. Wouldn't the $19,000 Chevy Impala like Chief Rovella drives make more sense?And why the "undercover " need for a Fire Chief? I know his predecessor removed the HFD-1 license Plate when he started making his regular rendezvous's to the Gold Club. He also removed the Hartford Fire Department decals from the doors.

I would think that the HFD-1 (Hartford Fire Department car 1, the Chiefs designation) would be a sign of pride for Hartford's Fire Chief. And why no visible markings?  I think every City vehicle, including all Police and Fire vehicles, should be fully marked to display their presence on the streets. Unless it is a vehicle that has a clearly defined  use for undercover  work.

Fully marking the vehicle's would serve a twofold purpose First, it would greatly cut down on abuse. People issued City Cars would be a lot less likely to jump in the take- home cars to conduct personal business if taxpayers could see them pulling up to the dry cleaners on a Saturday or piling the family in for a trip to a restaurant for dinner. It would definitely cut down on weekend trips to Newport or Manhattan if people could visibly see their tax dollars being abused.

 And yes, that really happens. Retired  Assistant Police Chief McCoy's trips into Manhattan ,on weekends in his City car were well documented by the tickets mailed to the City when he would run the tolls in his City car  and they would photograph his plate.And lets not forget  Segarra puppet master Saundra Kee-Borges  wrecking her City car, not  even being driven by her, after her outing to Jay's Crab Shack on Park Street for dinner.

Secondly why shouldn't the people be able to see their Fire Chief out in public. For the outrageous taxes we pay in Hartford, it might actually be nice to see the Fire Chief is attending a community meeting or visiting a school or event. They can't now because Chief  Huertas apparently is running in stealth mode

If Chief Huertas wants to build morale in his department, the HFD-1 plate should go back on the Chief's car and he should proudly be identified as the chief of the Hartford Fire Department with proper markings on his vehicle.

Little things mean a lot.

 

SLEEP EASY TONIGHT, SHERIFF SEGARRA IS ON PATROL

Apparently the remedial classes on "How to Look like a Decent Mayor"are paying off for Pedro Segarra. The classes are offered by the National Mayor's Association, especially in election years for lackluster Mayor's who are running to salvage their political career's. The photo above is of Segarra at yesterday's homicide and shooting scene at Rawson School.

Segarra has begun making a point of visiting shooting and fire scenes starting the last couple weeks, something he had not done for the previous five years. Apparently the National Mayors Seminar instructed the attendees to do this. According to one source the NMA stressed to Segarra and the other failing Mayor's that every time one of their constituents takes a bullet to the head, it is a media opportunity to actually look like a leader. jump in front of the Television cameras .

Clearly state your indignation and how this behavior will not be tolerated "in our neighborhoods". If anyone asks how this could happen or if your constant budget cuts and failing to hire police officers, quickly steer away from that question  and even try to force a tear to your eyes to look like you care.

The other part of the remedial course was to always have their GPS in the car programmed for parts of their City that they don't regularly visit. According to Segarra's staff he has recently programmed Blue Hills and several North End locations in his GPS, particularly those pockets that show locations of voters that actually get out and vote.

I personally am not convinced of the value of Segarra visiting crime scenes. It definitely appears to be a disruption when Segarra shows up and crawls under the yellow crime scene tape. He also doesn't appear to be too cognizant that he is traipsing through a crime scene, possibly destroying evidence as he takes his Mayoral Parade through the latest shooting scene. Plus I am not sure if he understands that after the person has left their gray matter on the basketball court, he is a little too late to do anything.

But if nothing else, maybe he is improving his acting skills for his next  career. That lawyering thing and then the Mayor thing haven't gone too well for him, but after watching some of his recent performances, I think he might just have the actor thing down to an art.




"And the Academy Award goes to...."