Jhavare Smith dies in fatal New Haven shooting
Jhavare Smith dies in fatal New Haven shooting
Fatal New Haven shooting death of Jhavare Smith
An early morning shooting in New Haven’s Dixwell neighborhood claimed the life of 18-year-old Jhavare Smith, a Stratford resident, police confirmed Monday.
Authorities said the incident unfolded around 2:47 a.m. Sunday on Tilton Street, not far from downtown. Responding officers discovered Smith lying on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
At a press briefing on Monday, Police Chief Karl Jacobson explained that Smith had been shot near a house party. Investigators are pursuing multiple leads, including surveillance footage showing several vehicles fleeing the area moments after the shooting. They recovered shell casings and unused bullets from two different firearms at the scene.
Jacobson noted uncertainty about whether one or more shooters were involved, stating the investigation was still in its early stages.
Roughly 20 minutes before Smith was killed, a 22-year-old woman was shot in the foot on Crown Street. Both victims had reportedly been at Secrets nightclub earlier that night. While police do not believe the two knew each other, they are examining the possibility the incidents may be connected.
Detectives plan to contact the nightclub’s management for surveillance footage and to verify the club’s operating practices.
Jacobson also shared that Smith had been present during a June 3 shooting in Stratford, during which 25 rounds were fired. However, Smith’s specific involvement in that earlier incident remains unclear.
The night Smith was killed, downtown New Haven saw multiple physical altercations that required police response in various locations. Investigators are reviewing security footage in an effort to identify those involved.
In light of recent violence, including a Halloween shooting last year that left four people injured, police have increased patrols downtown, particularly as summer draws larger, often younger, crowds to the area.
Despite staffing limitations, Jacobson stated that downtown enforcement will remain a priority, especially on weekends, to curb further violence.
Smith’s death marks the city’s seventh homicide this year. It occurred just a day after local leaders and residents gathered to honor gun violence victims at New Haven’s Annual Day of Remembrance at the Botanical Garden of Healing.