Berlin man and two teenagers charged after air rifle incident – We-Ha

West Hartford police said two juveniles and one adult (all in their teens) were arrested Saturday after they fired BB guns at groups of people near West Hartford Center and then fled from police.

By Ronni Newton

An 18-year-old Berlin man and two underage teenagers were arrested by West Hartford police Saturday afternoon on a variety of charges for firing a BB gun at people outside a Whole Foods at Raymond Road and Farmington Avenue near the intersection with Bishop Road and fleeing from police.

Both juvenile and adult victims were struck by the shotgun pellets, including one victim who was shot in the face. Minor injuries to several victims were assessed at the scene by first responders, said Capt. Daniel Moffo.

According to Moffo, police received a complaint around 1 p.m. Saturday that the occupant of a black Mercedes Benz pointed an air rifle at someone sitting outside the Whole Foods at 50 Raymond Road.

A second complaint received shortly thereafter stated that the “occupants of a black car shot several people with shotgun pellets near the intersection of Bishop Road and Farmington Avenue,” with one of the victims being shot in the face, according to the report.

Police spotted the suspect vehicle with the stolen license plate at the intersection of Park Road and Raymond Road. The driver failed to comply with a police request to stop, but instead attempted to pursue police and fled into Newington, ignoring several stop signs and red lights.

West Hartford police officers were able to attach a device to deflate tires, Moffo said. Two juveniles and the adult male, identified as Luis Ortiz-Perez, 18, of Berlin, were eventually arrested near 626 Willard Avenue in Newington with assistance from the Newington Police Department.

Police confiscated a “Surge XL Gel Blaster” that was in the vehicle.

Ortiz-Perez was charged with 10 counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, obstructing an officer, four counts of endangering a child, conspiracy to endanger a child, seven counts of third-degree assault, conspiracy to commit third-degree assault, eight counts of second-degree breach of peace and conspiracy to commit second-degree breach of peace.

Ortiz-Perez is being held on $250,000 bail pending arraignment at GA 14 in Hartford.

Luis Ortiz-Perez. Courtesy of West Hartford Police Department

The two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were also arrested and issued summonses requiring them to appear in court in their respective places of residence, police said. Their names were not released because they are minors.

According to police, the 17-year-old was charged with eight counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, obstructing an officer, three counts of endangering a child, conspiracy to endanger a child, seven counts of third-degree assault, conspiracy to commit third-degree assault, eight counts of second-degree disturbing the public peace and conspiracy to commit second-degree disturbing the public peace.

The 16-year-old driving the vehicle was charged with ten counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, obstructing an officer, three counts of endangering a child, conspiracy to endanger a child, seven counts of third-degree assault, conspiracy to commit third-degree assault, eight counts of second-degree disturbing the public peace, conspiracy to disrupt the public peace, three counts of failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to keep to the right, four counts of disobeying a traffic signal, passing in a no-passing zone, reckless driving, theft of a license plate, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, inadequate insurance, police pursuit, and failure to display a license plate.

“We are extremely grateful that no one was seriously injured in this incident and would like to thank the West Hartford Fire Department (WHFD) and Newington Police Department for their assistance,” Moffo said in an email.

The incident remains under active investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact West Hartford Police at 860-523-5203 or the anonymous tip line at 860-570-8969 or via email. (email protected).

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