Bridgeport councilwoman’s son among those shot on Saturday

BRIDGEPORT — A Bridgeport city councilwoman’s son was among those shot Saturday night in the area of Iranistan and South avenues, and she is calling for a serious examination of violence in the city .

According to city spokeswoman Rowena White, the three people shot were Dennis Moye, 48, son of councilwoman Denese Taylor-Moye (D-131st); Ronnie Pernell, 40, and Christopher Nichols, 38. White said they were among a group of people who had gathered in a parking lot adjacent to a playground in Marina Village, following the funeral services for Nichols’ mother, when shots were fired at the group from the direction of South Avenue. “Units secured a crime scene with multiple shell casings from at least two different firearms,” White said in an emailed statement. “An empty holster and cellphone was found on the ground near a parked vehicle and what appeared to be blood.”

None of those shot had life-threatening injuries. Moye was shot in the right shin; Pernell in the back and Nichols in the right knee. A fourth man, Mark Bush, was treated for an ankle injury sustained while fleeing the gun shots.

Denese Taylor-Moye confirmed that her son was among those shot in the incident, which she said just continues a sad history of violence in Bridgeport.

“My heart is very saddened about the gun violence going on in this city,” Taylor-Moye said Sunday. “The tears I shed for my son are the same tears I shed for this city.”

She said the seemingly random nature of the crime is particularly upsetting. “They were just standing around talking,” Taylor-Moye said.

White said the city’s detective bureau responded to both hospitals and the crime scene. All transporting vehicles were secured and towed back to headquarters for processing.