CT Office of Inspector General releases video of officer who was shot in leg while investigating a case | Law Enforcement Today

WATERBURY, CT - The Office of the Inspector General announced its investigation into an incident where a Waterbury police detective was shot in the leg while investigating attempted carjackings that were happening in the city. The officer fired back at the armed suspect, but did not hit the suspect.

According to NBC Connecticut, the shooting happened during the evening on Thursday, February 13th. The Office of the Inspector General said that the Waterbury Police Department (WPD) received a report of three masked men with a gun trying to steal a vehicle on Waterville Street around 8:30 p.m. The victim was able to drive away and the suspects were in a white Ford Explorer or Expedition.

About 20 minutes later, around 8:50 p.m., WPD received another complaint of an attempted carjacking on Chase Avenue. The person who contacted them said someone in a white Ford Explorer pointed a gun at him and stole his car keys. WPD Detective Ronald Sackett said that a sergeant responded to America Street to investigate a report that a car alarm was going off and three people were trying to break into the vehicle.

When the detective arrived on scene, he saw a white Ford Explorer and someone told him that the suspects ran toward Clairmont Street. As Detective Sackett turned the corner to the back of the home, Arian Perez-Feliciano, who was armed with a gun that had a laser sight, came from the corner of the house and fired multiple rounds at Sackett, striking him in the leg.

Sackett did return fire, but did not hit Perez-Feliciano. Sackett was taken to Waterbury Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to his upper leg. He was released from the hospital on Friday, February 14th. Police arrested Perez-Feliciano, 20, near the scene and have charged him with attempted murder, assault on a police officer, and additional charges.

According to FOX61, two other suspects have been arrested. Sydney Reid, 18, has been charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit a robbery, first-degree larceny, two counts of first-degree threatening, two counts of carrying a pistol without a permit, interfering with an officer, and illegal possession of a weapon in a car. He is being held on a $1.5 million bond.

The second suspect has been identified as 19-year-old Alberto Rodriguez. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit a robbery, first-degree larceny, first-degree threatening, criminal use of a weapon, carrying a pistol without a permit, interfering with an officer, illegally altering a gun, and two counts of having a gun in a car. He is also being held on a $1.5 million bond. 

Perez-Feliciano has also been charged with first-degree assault, unlawful discharge of a weapon, two counts of first-degree robbery, criminal attempted murder, assault on a police officer, interfering with an officer, criminal use of a firearm, firsr-degree reckless endangerment, two counts of carrying a gun without a permit, and possession of a high capacity magazine and obliterated serial number. He is being held on a $2 million bond. 

Body-camera footage of the incident was released by the Office of the Inspector General. Doorbell camera footage from a nearby residence was also released. The invesigation remains ongoing.