A shooting at one restaurant and an explosion outside another — both at State and Clark streets within less than 24 hours of each other — prompted a community meeting Thursday night where East Rock residents pressed police for answers and reassurance.  That meeting took place at a Clark St reet home at 7 p.m. Thursday; 27 residents packed into the living room to hear from police. No evidence has yet to emerge to link the two incidents, said Asst. Chief Bertram Ettienne. The first incident took place at around 2 a.m. Wednesday, when Michelina’s at 858 State St. was struck by gunfire. The New Haven Police Department’s (NHPD) ShotSpotter system failed to detect the gunshots, and police weren’t notified until around 10:30 a.m., when plainclothes detectives learned of the incident and went to the scene, where they found five to six shell casings. The restaurant was empty at the time. Then, at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, an explosion went off outside Christopher Martins restaurant at 860 State St., just on the other side of Clark Street from Michelina’s. According to district manager Sgt. Jarrell Lowery, a man appears to have attempted to throw an explosive device toward the restaurant. The device went off prematurely, blowing off part of his hand. He then fled the scene at high speed, crashing into two other vehicles before arriving at a hospital. Christopher Martins Co-Owner Brian Virtue declined to comment to the Independent. The case has since been handed to the FBI, which is trying to determine whether it’s connected to similar incidents elsewhere in the state. Concerns were also raised at the meeting about recurring motorcycle club activity around Michelina’s, including people going up and down a back stairwell to the second floor and motorcycles parked or idling outside, with riders wearing jackets bearing club patches. Police did not confirm any connection between this activity and the shooting or explosion, cautioning that the investigation is still in its early stages. The owner of Michelina’s could not be reached for comment by the publication time of this article. The shooting-and-explosion incidents, meanwhile, prompted Thursday’s community meeting, which was organized by Downtown/East Rock Alder Christine Kim. Kim urged residents to stay connected with one another while being cautious about unconfirmed information circulating in the neighborhood.  “Please make sure to talk with your neighbors, but again, please err on the side of caution with the rumor mill,” Kim said. “We’ve tried to give you whatever information the police have, most up to date, and the FBI. And if there’s more, we will share it with our neighborhood.”  Lisa Siedlarz, captain of the SoHu neighborhood block watch and a Ward 7 Democratic co-chair, said a neighbor told her about the gunshots. She also said she heard the explosion and thought it sounded like thunder. “I’ve lived in Connecticut for 62 years, and it’s the first time that I’ve ever experienced something like this in my life,” Siedlarz said. Lowery said extra patrols in the area began immediately.  “Even tonight, we have an officer that’s going to be assigned to East Rock for his shift,” he told residents, adding that officers would patrol the area, particularly near the two incidents, through the night. Police said that stretch of State Street does not have a ShotSpotter installed. Joseph F. Vitale, director of the city’s public safety communications center, said the first call about the incident came into 911 call center when the driver had already arrived at the hospital. He also outlined a program allowing residents and business owners to have police install camera hardware with a direct feed to the department’s intelligence center, eliminating delays in accessing footage during an active investigation. Several residents raised concerns about safety and communication. One resident, who lives above Christopher Martins, said responding officers seemed unaware of the shooting the night before when they arrived at the scene of the explosion. Vitale and Ettienne explained that officers coming on for a new shift — particularly after time off — may not have been briefed on incidents from earlier shifts. Ettienne urged residents to stay alert but avoid jumping to conclusions as the investigation continues. “The more we know, the better we can respond,” he said. This article has been corrected to reflect that Lisa Siedlarz did not hear the gunshots directly, but instead heard about them from a neighbor. It has also been corrected to reflect that Vitale and Ettienne, not Vitale and Lowery, spoke with residents about how a new shift might not have been briefed on incidents from earlier shifts. The post East Rock Rattled By Shooting, Explosion appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less