Residents react to officer involved shooting in Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) -- Bridgeport residents are reacting to an officer involved shooting that happened in the city Thursday night. The suspect allegedly refused to drop his weapon, even after being pepper sprayed and tasered.

"He's so freaking crazy, he's psychotic," said one resident, "and not only that, there's the kids' school ground right down the street."

An area resident who asked not to be named describes the man she believes is the same suspect Bridgeport Police shot Thursday night.

"I walked fast because I seen, like, a little sharp edge," she said, "and he was like 'I want to kill this person, I want to kill this person.'"

That seems consistent with 35-year-old Michael Stinson of Bridgeport, whom officers chased on foot after he allegedly tried to break into an unmarked police cruiser. They say he threatened them with a large knife.

"How big a knife are we talking about," asked News 8's Jeff Valin.

"It looks like a machete," the woman said.

And despite getting pepper-sprayed and Tasered, he refused to back down. That's when the officers opened fire.

"They felt threatened. They used everything in their power, different means of restraint, everything in their power before using deadly force," said Chief Joseph Gaudett, Bridgeport Police.

It's a tough week for Bridgeport Police, with allegations surfacing of brutality in a completely separate case, and in fact some folks off-camera tell News 8 that the force can be a bit heavy-handed here at times, but those who spoke with us on-camera consistently told us that, at least in the Thursday night case, officers were justified.

"I think the policemen tried to protect people living here, and they should do that because otherwise more people will get hurt," said Kelly Zhu, Bridgeport resident.

"Yes, because he had an armed weapon and you don't know what he could do with that weapon," the woman said.

Stinson was charged with five counts of criminal attempt at first-degree assault, third-degree burglary, and interfering with police.