HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – A 23-year-old man was shot in the head during what Hartford police described as a road rage incident.
Police confirmed the identity of the victim as Manuel Rodriguez.
They said a suspect intentionally drove into Rodriguez’s vehicle in the area of Hillside Avenue on Thursday.
“The suspect vehicle rammed or rear-ended our victim’s vehicle, and then tempted to flee the scene. The victim then followed the vehicle through the city at which time the passenger of the suspect vehicle exited and fired rounds into the victim’s vehicle,” said Lt. Aaron Boisvert, Hartford police.
The suspect then shot Rodriguez in the head, according to police.
Rodriguez’s car then came to a crashing stop in a neighbor’s yard and sent a woman in the passenger seat to the hospital.
Across the street, Carlos Serrano said he works at the corner store and was outside on his break.
“When I saw the car and the motorcycle and heard ‘boom, boom, boom,’ I went to the floor and went inside. I didn’t want to get hurt,” Serrano said.
Serrano said one of the stray bullets had hit his boss’s car.
“When I came outside, I saw the car with the broken glass and then I said, ‘woah, it broke the car.’”
The suspects fled the scene and left their car behind. It was recovered by police, but they said the shooter remained on the run.
Police said they have been speaking with neighbors and looking for any information that may shed light on the shooter.
They called the incident a targeted attack. They also said the public should not be worried.
Anyone with information was encouraged to reach out to the Hartford Police Department at 860-722-8477.
Police said the homicide marked Hartford’s 33rd of the year.
Police say a man was shot in the head Thursday night during a road rage incident in Hartford.
Hartford Police are investigating a homicide in the area of 539 Hillside Avenue.
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