New Haven

Man and woman dead after domestic dispute in New Haven

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A woman that was critically injured during a domestic dispute in New Haven this weekend has died, according to a city official.

A man died as a result of the incident that happened early Sunday morning. Officers were called to a domestic dispute at a home in the 200 block of Shelton Avenue around 11:25 p.m. Saturday.

Investigators spoke to a woman who said she had a physical fight with her children's father earlier in the evening.

Police attempted to find the man, but could not. A safety plan was developed to make sure the woman would stay safe.

Authorities were called back to the home where the domestic dispute had happened after getting reports of gunfire around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.

When police arrived, they said they found the 54-year-old female, identified as Sheila Harris, who had previously reported the domestic dispute and a 54-year-old man, later identified as Christopher Garvin. Garvin was identified as the father of the woman's children.

Both Harris and Garvin were suffering from gunshot wounds. According to police, Garvin later died of his injuries. Harris has now also died, city officials said Wednesday.

According to First Student, Harris was a bus driver who was a "dedicated and beloved member of the team." A spokesperson said she served the New Haven community for decades," ensuring generations of families received safe transportation to and from school."

"We will miss Sheila's smile, warmth and caring nature," the spokesperson said.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that the victim, identified as Sheila Harris, has tragically passed away from her injuries. Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends during this difficult time," the police department said.

“What appears to have occurred is the father of the woman’s children shot her and then a family member shot him in her defense and he died," said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.

Elicker says an investigation is underway and police need to get more information to understand exactly what happened and how Garvin was able to find the woman.

"We want to make sure the police department did everything they were supposed to be doing to ensure she was safe. So we will be doing an investigation, pulling some of the body cam, interviewing some of the officers involved to make sure we did everything appropriate on our side," Elicker said.

The mayor added that the police work hard to ensure people's safety. Anyone who is threatened or feels that they are, should contact police.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (203) 946-6304 or the department's anonymous tip line at 866-888-TIPS.

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