‘Hartford murder suspect’s bond set to $5M after double shooting’ | News 8
August 8, 2023Story from News 8:
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A Hartford man, who was out on bond for first-degree assault, has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a man over the weekend, according to police.
Police said 27-year-old Chan Williams-Bey shot two people early Sunday morning on Wethersfield Avenue.
According to police, Williams-Bey has a lengthy criminal history and was arrested eight times in recent years.
On Monday, he faced a judge with little emotion on charges of murder, first-degree assault, and criminal possession of a firearm, all while he has eight other pending court cases and a total of $800,000 bond already posted in previous cases for release.
“This defendant clearly presents a danger to the community, and frankly, nothing short of a very high bond is appropriate,” Assistant State’s Attorney Jesse Giddings said.
Police arrested Williams-Bey on Sunday for the murder of 24-year-old Jordon Phipps.
According to court documents, Williams-Bey approached Phipps and another man outside a Sunoco Gas Station. He spoke to them briefly before shooting Phipps in the head.
Williams-Bey also shot the other man, but the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
“The defendant is seen on video, identified by photo array as well as officers who know who he is, walking up to the victim here shooting him as well as another party, killing one of the victims,” Giddings said.
In 2021, Williams-Bey was arrested and charged with first-degree assault in the death of a 37-year-old Hartford man who police said was an innocent bystander.
Mayor Luke Bronin (D-Conn.) said Williams-Bey’s bond was set at $1.7 million and then reduced to $250,000. He posted that bond and was out on pre-trial release at the time of the deadly double shooting.
Hartford State’s Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott issued this statement to News 8 explaining Williams-Bey’s bond reduction in 2022.
“On March 10, 2022, a motion for bond reduction was filed on behalf of the defendant. On March 11, 2022, the state informed the court it could not prevail on its prosecution of the defendant on a charge of murder due to the results of forensic testing that came to light in the case. Specifically, the ballistics of the bullet that killed the victim did not match the firearm recovered from the defendant. The state then entered a nolle on the murder charge but other charges against the defendant related to a second victim remain active. The court then set bond for the defendant at $250,000 with additional conditions for release, including a 24-hour lockdown with intensive pretrial supervision, including electronic monitoring, if bond was posted.”
“Our police have done their job repeatedly arresting the same individual, and yet he’s still out there creating harm, grief, and death out there in our community. It’s not acceptable,” Bronin said.
State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-Conn.) agreed, stating Williams-Bey should not have been on the street.
“We must start considering the families that live in our cities because they are paying the biggest price from violence and failed policy…because it happened in a major city, legislative democrats consider it to be a part of city life. However, the families of these countless murder victims do not consider this to be an acceptable part of life. They want change, and leadership must act immediately,” Cicarella said.
