Man shot by police in CT Park released from hospital and arrested

A man armed with a knife who was shot by police last month after running toward officers in a Naugatuck park has been arrested.

Kyle O’Creene, 24, is charged with attempted assault on a police officer, carrying a dangerous weapon, obstructing a police officer and reckless endangerment, according to Naugatuck police.

He was arraigned Wednesday after being released from Waterbury Hospital, where he was taken after the April 25 shooting.

O’Creene was arraigned in Waterbury Superior Court later that day. He pleaded no contest, according to court records.

O’Creene posted $25,000 bail after the hearing, records show. He is due back in court on June 6.

According to a preliminary report from the state Office of Inspector General and body camera footage of the incident, officers encountered O’Creene next to a picnic table shortly after 9 a.m. while responding to a report of a man with a knife operating erratically at Baummer’s Pond Park.

Police bodycam footage shows a man armed with a knife attacking officers in CT Park before shooting

Footage released by Inspector General Robert Devlin Jr. showed officers repeatedly asking O’Creene to drop the knife.

Police also told O’Creene that he would be tasered before an officer deployed the device, but that was not effective, according to the preliminary report.

At several points during the encounter, police tried to back away from O’Creene, but each time he marched closer to them while still armed with the knife, body camera footage shows. Some officers had their weapons drawn and others were holding Tasers.

At one point, O’Creene appeared to be running toward the police, but they kept backing away and yelling at him to drop the gun.

A body camera worn by Officer Joseph Palhete showed him shouting again for O’Creene to drop the knife seconds before he shot O’Creene twice with his gun.

After a moment’s hesitation, O’Creene then continued toward the officers, at which point Officer Crystal Hudson shot him, the footage shows.

O’Creene stumbled for a few seconds before police helped him down and gave him medical attention.

The use of deadly force by both officers remains under investigation by Devlin’s office.