If you’ve been watching the headlines lately, you’ve probably seen the name Waterbury popping up more than anyone would like. It’s heavy. When people talk about a shooting in Waterbury Connecticut, there is usually this immediate reflex to group it in with every other headline about urban crime. But honestly, the reality on the ground in the Brass City is a lot more layered than a thirty-second news clip suggests.
It’s not just "random violence."
The Brass Mill Center Incident and the Escalation Problem
Take the May 2025 shooting at the Brass Mill Center. That was a Tuesday afternoon—4:40 p.m., to be exact. People were just out shopping, maybe grabbing a pretzel or looking for shoes, and suddenly five people are hit. Tajuan Washington, who was only 19 at the time, was eventually hit with a $2 million bond and five counts of first-degree assault.
The detail that gets lost? Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo was very clear: this wasn't a random act. It was a "beef." Two young men who knew each other, had a history, and instead of a fistfight, one of them pulled a semi-automatic. This is a pattern we see over and over. It's the "escalation" factor. In 2024 and 2025, the data shows that while Waterbury often tracks with cities like Bridgeport and New Haven in terms of homicide numbers—roughly 18 in 2023—the vast majority of these incidents are targeted.
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It doesn’t make it less scary for the person hiding in the JCPenney, but it changes how we have to think about the solution.
Beyond the Headlines: The 960 Gang and Federal Heat
You can't talk about gun violence here without mentioning the 960 gang. This isn't just local gossip; federal prosecutors have been dismantling this group for years. Just recently, in December 2025, Julian Scott was sentenced to life in federal prison. He was 26. The charges? RICO conspiracy and a string of violent acts that kept the city on edge for years.
When the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office get involved, it’s usually because the "shooting in Waterbury Connecticut" isn't just an isolated event—it’s part of a business model. These groups use violence to protect turf, and innocent people like Darryl Wells Jr., who was a bystander killed in 2021, end up paying the price.
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Why the Community Response Actually Matters
Waterbury isn't just sitting back and letting this happen. You’ve probably heard of Project Longevity. It's basically a "call-in" system. They get people who are at the highest risk—the ones the police know are likely to either pull a trigger or be a victim—and they put them in a room.
They tell them two things:
- We will help you. We have jobs, housing, and support.
- If you shoot someone, we will bring the entire weight of local, state, and federal law enforcement down on your whole group.
It’s a "carrot and stick" approach. Does it work? Well, it’s a constant battle. State budget cuts have threatened these programs, but the data suggests that when the community stays engaged, the numbers dip. According to the UConn ARMS Center, Waterbury remains one of the "big four" cities for firearm deaths in the state, but it’s not a lost cause.
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Looking at the Hard Numbers
Let's talk stats for a second. In 2024, Connecticut's overall firearm homicide rate was about 2.1 per 100,000. That’s low compared to the rest of the country—we’re the 6th lowest, actually. But in Waterbury, the concentration is higher.
- Young people (15-34) account for about 63% of all gun homicide deaths.
- Black and Latinx residents bear a disproportionate brunt of the violence, making up 80% of victims despite being a smaller portion of the total population.
- The financial cost is staggering: gun violence costs Connecticut about $1.2 billion every year. That’s money that could be going into schools or fixing the roads.
Practical Steps for Residents and Concerned Citizens
If you're living in the area or traveling through, it's easy to feel helpless. But staying informed and active is the only way the needle moves.
- Report what you see: The Waterbury Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit (like the one that patrolled East Main Street in late 2025) relies on "quality-of-life" complaints. If you see something that looks like it's escalating, call it in.
- Support Intervention: Look into groups like Project Longevity or local youth mentorship programs. The best way to stop a shooting in Waterbury Connecticut is to prevent the "beef" from starting in the first place.
- Safe Storage: If you own a gun, use a Risk Protection Order if someone in your house is in crisis. Connecticut has some of the toughest "Red Flag" laws in the country for a reason.
Violence is a cycle, but cycles can be broken. It takes more than just police—it takes a city that refuses to be defined by its worst afternoons.
Next Steps for Action:
- Contact the Waterbury Police Department Community Relations Division to join neighborhood watch meetings or provide tips on recurring street-level issues.
- Advocate for Project Longevity funding at the state legislative level to ensure intervention programs remain active in the 2026-2027 budget cycle.
- Utilize the Connecticut Risk Protection Order process if you know an individual in possession of a firearm who poses an imminent danger to themselves or others.