State rules Middletown detective was justified in shooting man who attacked her with hammer

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (WTNH) – A Middletown detective was justified in shooting a man who attacked her with a hammer last year, according to a state report released Wednesday.

Their use of deadly force was “objectively reasonable and justified under Connecticut law,” says the report by Andrew Slitt, assistant district attorney. The report adds that the man had a deadly weapon, that the detective attempted to deescalate the confrontation and that the detective “in no way created a situation that would have prompted the use of deadly force.”

Bodycam video showed Winston Tate attacking the detective with a hammer after she was called to a Middletown home last August and a “violent struggle” ensued.

Tate knocked her to the ground and struck her with a hammer. The detective shot him multiple times, wounding him. In the report, the detective said Tate tried to take the gun from her.

According to the report, the detective fired eight shots during the attack. At the time of the attack, he was on probation for assaulting a public safety officer.

The detective shot herself in the left hand during the attack, suffered bruising and was treated for a concussion, the report said. Tate was treated for gunshot wounds to her arm, upper back and abdomen. A blood test returned positive results for alcohol and marijuana.

He is charged with attempted first-degree assault, assault on security guards and obstructing an officer. He remains in custody on bail.

Two 911 callers told dispatch that Tate was screaming and breaking glass in the driveway of his Liberty Street home, the report said.

When questioned by investigators, Tate replied that he did not want to speak without a lawyer, “and his lawyer is Jesus Christ,” the report said.