Two arrested in shooting of New Haven toddler

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- New Haven police have two people in custody and have seized two guns connected with the shooting of a 16-month-old New Haven toddler.

Joseph Metteus, of Chapel St was arrested Saturday night. Police reported they found a .357 Magnum in Metteus' basement. He was charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor and possession of handgun by a convicted felon.

20-year-old Tythrone Ford, was arrested on warrant for the same charges and is incarcerated on unrelated charges for violation of his probation.

Police said both were firing, aiming at others in the area and that it was gang related, in retaliation for an earlier shooting that same day.

Both suspects have ties to the so-called Grape Street Crips gang out of the Hill neighborhood, which is feuding right now with the Tre Bloods gang, based in the Kensington neighborhood where the child was shot.

When News 8 asked if they knew they shot a toddler, Asst. Chief Archie Generoso said, "From our information, yes they did."

Tramire Miller was shot in the stomach last Wednesday as he sat on a porch on Kensington Avenue. The bullet was fired from a passing car.

Miller was released from the hospital on Friday.

"Nobody was doing anything but solving this case," Chief Dean Esserman, said.

"Words can't express how grateful we are," Sheri Miller, the mother of the 16-month-old toddler, said, thanking the New Haven police for locating the two suspected shooters.