CT man accused of gunning down two teens was allegedly being robbed: warrant
The Plainville man accused of gunning down two high school students in May allegedly shot one of them straight on as he was being robbed and the other as he tried to flee when gunshots rang out, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
James Chaney, 25, was arrested Wednesday on one count each of murder and first-degree reckless endangerment in connection with the May 4 in Hartford killings of 19-year-old Lavante Brown and 16-year-old Aydin Davis, according to Lt. Aaron Boisvert of the Hartford Police Department.
According to the warrant affidavit, Brown, Davis, Chaney and a number of other people were at a party at an apartment on Hendricxsen Avenue when Brown allegedly pulled a firearm and tried to rob Chaney and another man.
Chaney then allegedly pulled out his own gun before a brief standoff that ended in shots being fired from both directions, the warrant affidavit said. Brown was shot in the chest during the shootout and later died.
Davis suffered gunshot wounds that were later determined to have hit him from behind as he fled, according to the warrant affidavit said. Police believe Chaney allegedly chased him down and fired at him as he ran down a flight of stairs.
Investigators believe Davis was unarmed, the warrant affidavit said.
Hartford school officials confirmed that Brown was a student at Weaver High School and David attended the University High School of Science and Engineering.
According to the warrant affidavit, police received a 911 call at 10:23 p.m. reporting multiple gunshots in the area of 94 Hendricxsen Ave. before a second 911 call indicated two people had been shot and were unconscious. Officers responded and found Brown and Davis suffering from gunshot wounds in the entrance of the residence and a gun nearby on the floor, the warrant affidavit said.
Brown had a ski mask on, police wrote in the warrant affidavit.
The victims were tended to by medics before being taken to Hartford Hospital, where Brown was pronounced dead at 11:10 p.m. He had been shot in the center of his chest.
Davis, was pronounced dead about two minutes later, having been shot multiple times in the torso and neck.
Police at the scene immediately noticed spent shell casings and blood droplets as they went up the stairs of the residence, which led to the main living space where more casings were found, the warrant affidavit said. Inside one of the bedrooms, police found a juvenile who was not injured. He was later turned over to his mother, according to the warrant affidavit.
Very early on in the investigation, police learned that multiple people were seen leaving the apartment complex immediately after the shooting.
Police also learned early in the case that one of the shooters moved around as the gunfire went off, according to the warrant affidavit.
At the scene, police spoke to a witness who said they were hosting a party at the residence when the shooting occurred, the warrant affidavit said. Though the witness did not see the actual shooting, the individual was able to provide investigators with a list of people who were at the party, which was described as an “intimate gathering” involving 10-12 people. Some people who showed up brought uninvited guests with them who were unknown to others, the witness told police.
After speaking to others at the party, investigators learned that one of the guests, who was introduced throughout the evening as someone else’s brother, was identified as Chaney, the warrant affidavit said.
Investigators learned through a witness that at some point in the night Davis pulled out a firearm as he was facing Chaney and another individual in an apparent robbery attempt, at which point Chaney allegedly said “you don’t even wanna do this” before pulling out a gun of his own, according to the warrant affidavit. Chaney and Davis were both then allegedly pointing guns at each other.
The witness dove under a table and heard gunshots ring out, the warrant affidavit said. Once they ended, the witness fled the residence and saw Davis and Brown lying motionless on the floor.
Another witness at the residence said he heard a “volley” of gunfire erupt before two people ran down the stairway of the building, the warrant affidavit said. The witness followed both individuals until he noticed one of them, who he identified as his friend Brown, was lying at the bottom of the stairs bleeding from the chest.
The witness said he heard a second round of gunfire before he ran away and hid, the warrant affidavit said.
After identifying both men who were being robbed, which included Chaney, detectives learned that Chaney had a pistol permit and a 9mm pistol registered in his name, according to the warrant affidavit.
Detectives learned through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network that two different guns were used in the shooting, including the one police allege Brown had that was found on the floor near him, the warrant affidavit said.
According to the warrant affidavit, detectives had difficulties obtaining the video surveillance from the apartment complex where the shooting took place. Once they did, they were able to identify multiple individuals seen leaving the residence after gunshots were fired and put together a photo lineup.
One of the witnesses at the party identified Chaney as the man who drew a gun when Brown allegedly pulled out a firearm, the warrant affidavit said.
According to Boisvert, police established probable cause to charge Chaney in the death of Davis. The circumstances surrounding Brown’s death are part of an open investigation, he said.
U.S. Marshals, Hartford PD capture two men wanted on murder charges in separate shootings
Chaney was taken into custody Wednesday by members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force and the Hartford Police Violent Crime Unit. He was initially held on $1 million bail and arraigned the following morning in Hartford Superior Court.
During the hearing, Chaney waived his right to have a hearing within 60 days where a judge would determine if there is enough probable cause for prosecutors to move forward with the case. He can still have the hearing at a later date.
A judge reduced Chaney’s bail to $750,000, which can only be posted at the courthouse. He was still being held in custody as of Friday morning, records show.
Chaney is due back in court on June 27. He has not entered a plea.