Police continue their investigation into death of stabbing suspect

Norwich — State police on Thursday continued to keep quiet about what specifically led to the death of Brandon Uzialko, a 25-year-old stabbing suspect who died after a prolonged manhunt Tuesday night.

Asked whether police believe an officer’s bullet killed Uzialko, state police spokesman Sgt. Eric Haglund wrote, “The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will be conducting a post-mortem examination in order to determine the cause and manner of death.”

Reached by phone, an employee of the medical examiner’s office said Uzialko’s cause of death was pending further investigation and would be for “quite some time.”

Uzialko was found dead Tuesday, several hours after he exchanged gunfire with at least one Norwich officer in Greeneville, according to police. Prior to the hunt, police had been searching for Uzialko, who allegedly invaded Sonia Fowler’s Quarto Road home on Saturday night and left Carlos Gayle with life-threatening stab wounds.

A Norwich officer who was involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, a standard practice. His name is being withheld. The Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office is investigating the incident.

Norwich police, meanwhile, are looking into inflammatory, obscenity-laden posts that were published on the Facebook page of Chris Allard, Brandon Uzialko’s brother, after Allard learned of Uzialko’s death.

In one thread, he tells an unnamed person to “watch ur back” and later blames said person for his brother’s death.

At some point on Thursday, that thread was deleted.

Another thread that has since been deleted began with an obscenity directed toward Norwich police.

Police said the Detective Division is investigating the posts and will make an arrest if it can find probable cause to do so.