The gunman suspected of wounding five people at a Connecticut mall is a teenager who was out on bond on separate charges, officials said Wednesday.
Tajuan Washington, 19, opened fire after confronting another man he “had a history” of “beef” with at the Brass Mill Center in Waterbury Tuesday afternoon, striking the man and four women he was with, Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr., said during a news conference.
The mayor and police officials said that the shooting, which happened near the shopping center’s main entrance just before 5 p.m., was not a random act of violence.
“This was a one-off incident,” the mayor said, adding that the mall was safe for shopping.
Washington was out on a $25,000 bond for reckless driving and other charges, according to Waterbury Police Chief Fred Spagnolo.
He was arrested in October for driving 105 miles per hour on Interstate 84 East — and turning his lights off to evade state police, cops said.
Washington on Wednesday was charged with five counts of first-degree assault and other weapons charges, the chief said.
The Waterbury native is being held on a $2 million bond and is expected to appear in court Wednesday.
Three of