Two men named Angel killed by police in Meriden

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Two men were killed by police in Meriden in two unrelated incidents Saturday morning. One of the men was armed with scissors, while the other was armed with a hammer; and both were named Angel.

Some neighbors say they were scared as Angel Cajigas was waving scissors in the air chanting, "God, " the "Devil."  The next thing they knew, police were there and he was dead. 

News 8’s Erin Logan spoke to his family members and his roommate who says there's a different side to the story.

“I heard the two shots,” said Cajigas’ roommate Carlos Rodriguez.  Shortly after Rodriguez heard those shots, he got the news his roommate and close friend 46 year-old Cajigas was dead. He says the scene at the home early Saturday morning was frightening.

“He was screaming everything. He broke everything inside before the police came,” Rodriguez told News 8.

Meriden police were called to the Maple Branch home. When they got there, they found Cajigas on the second floor. They say he charged at them with scissors. Rodriguez says that didn't happen.

“You never saw scissors at all,” asked Logan. 

“No,” Rodriguez said.

Police say he wouldn't cooperate and made his way to the third floor. Cajigas still wouldn't give up the scissors and was verbally threatening. One officer tried to use a stun gun and police say that didn’t work, so another officer used his gun.

Cajigas' niece spoke to News 8. She says he took medication for a mental illness.

“I think the police here in Meriden typically knew who he was. This is why we pay people good money to help those people out. I think at that point you could've got someone who knows how to deal with people like that," the niece said.

She was furious to hear about the scene at 10 Grove Court about thirty minutes before, involving another man named Angel. Police say Angel Hiraldo was destroying items inside a home with a hammer . He refused to put the hammer down and started coming toward the officers.

One of the officers then fired a Taser at Hiraldo. After being tased, he suddenly had difficulty breathing. He died at the hospital.

“We don't feel that we're being protected and served when they're actually against their community, you know.  You can't trust police in Meriden. It's upsetting, it's hurtful and we want answers,” Cajigas’ niece said.

The officers involved in both cases are assigned to administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation.