Yale says ‘no threat’ to campus after shooting outside Durfees
A man was shot on Elm Street between High and College
Update
Police have sent a new email identifying the victim as 23-year-old Damien Phillips, of unknown address, who was shot by a suspect wearing a ski-mask.
An NHPD spokesperson said the shooting was “not related to the earlier St Patrick’s Day Parade nor the nearby campus at Yale.”
They said: “At 6:19 PM, PSAP (911 Center) received a call reporting gunfire in the area of the Superior Courthouse on Elm Street. A second caller reported a victim was being transported by private car to the hospital.
“Officers were dispatched to the area and located a crime scene on Elm Street between Wall and College Streets.
“The victim, twenty-three year old Damien Phillips (unknown address) had been shot twice in his shoulder and leg.
“Other than the shooter was wearing a ski-mask, the suspect’s description was not available. Robbery does not seem to have been the shooter’s motive. Investigators believe it is probable the victim was targeted.
“Police are asking for witnesses to come forward. Detectives may be reached by phoning 203-946-6304.”
Yale have sounded the all-clear with a new message: “Police have confirmed that a man was shot on Elm Street between High and College. The man was taken to the hospital with what appear to be non-life threatening injuries.
“There is NO THREAT to the campus. New Haven police are investigating. Avoid area while police conduct their investigation.”
Police are still on the scene outside Durfees:
Freshman Newlyn Joseph, a Molecular Biophysics and Biochem major, was in Durfees when he heard the gunshots.
He told The Tab: “I was sitting in my dorm doing work, blinds closed, and I heard like three shots.
“I saw a crowd and commotion right outside Durfees, and called the Police. I live right above the sweet shop.”
At 6:40pm a Yale alert was sent to students reporting a shooting in the area of College and Elm streets.
The shooting occured outside of Durfees, which houses the freshmen of Morse College.
The New Haven Green, which was filled with spectators for the St Patrick’s Day Parade held a few hours earlier, sits diagonally from Calhoun at this intersection. The parade is the largest one of its kind in Connecticut.
Here is the alert:
The university press office told us they have nothing to add at this point.
The Daily News reports that students heard three shots.
A Yale librarian was one of the first to respond on Twitter:
This article will be updated as we learn more.