Waterbury Man Critical After Shooting, Suspect Nabbed

The incident occurred in New Haven County around 1:10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2, on West Main Street outside the Stanley Billar Club in Waterbury.

According to Waterbury Police Lt. Ryan Bessette, officers responded to the area after getting word of shots fired and then additional reports from Saint Mary’s Hospital Emergency Room that a gunshot victim had been dropped off.

Officers identified the victim as a 24-year-old male from Waterbury.

Bessette said that upon further investigation, officers identified the suspect as Edwin Henriquez-Vasquez, age 30, of Waterbury.

Shortly after the shooting occurred, Henriquez-Vasquez was involved in a single-vehicle crash on I-84 and taken into custody by the State Police, he added.

Officers located an illegal polymer 80 (ghost gun) with a high-capacity magazine, police said.

"It is believed that Henriquez-Vasquez shot the victim in the area of West Main Street and Park Place following a disturbance that had occurred just earlier inside Stanley Billar Club," Bessette said.

At this time, the victim is considered to be in critical but stable condition.

Henriquez-Vasquez, who has a previous conviction which prevents him from owning guns, was arrested and charged with:

• Reckless endangerment
• Assault
• Altering or removing identification marks on a firearm
• Unlawful discharge of a firearm
• Illegal sale of a pistol or revolver
• Illegal possession of a large-capacity magazine
• Carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit
• Criminal possession of a pistol or revolver.

Henriquez-Vasquez is being held on a $1.5 million bond pending court arraignment.

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