2 men injured in Meriden shootings

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- What began as a street brawl in Meriden involving dozens of people ended with two being shot and hospitalized.
       
"You can see people buying drugs on the street, and, you know, it's just a lot of stuff going around here," said Linda Spisak. "It's very nerve wracking."

Spisak, a six-year resident of Sherman Avenue in Meriden, didn't see what happened during the street fight that involved some 60 people around 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

"Two adult males, each one had multiple gunshot wounds," said Sgt. Darrin McKay.

Both men, who have not been identified, were in critical condition Thursday afternoon.

The only early lead drew police and a SWAT team to a person at a house a block away, on Britannia Street.

"We did actually go in to that home. We cleared the home, and, again, right now we can't make any connection to the house or the person, having anything to do with the incident here on Sherman Avenue, still investigating that," McKay said.

Police are not confirming motive, but neighbors say that drug activity happens right under their nose, and one who didn't want to be identified says the signs are often right overhead.

"Shoes hanging from wires, cable wires, mostly signify that there's either gangs or drugs in the area," he said.

The shoes are often color-coded for marketing and marking territory.

"Blue signifies that there's a gang in the area, mostly Crips or MS-13," he explained. "Red signifies that there's a Blood, or several Bloods in the area."

As for the Thursday incident, detectives hope to find something they can hang an arrest on.

"They'll be out here for the better part of the day, trying to speak to people to see if we can obtain any information from anybody who might have seen or heard something," McKay said.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Meriden Police Department at (203) 630-6201.