Police: 12-year-old killed during ‘hunt’ for rival gang members

Two Bridgeport teenagers charged in the killing of a 12-year-old boy were driving around hunting for a member of a rival street gang, according to newly released court documents.

Tajay Chambers, 18, was presented in Superior Court on murder and other charges Thursday, and 16-year-old Al- exander Bolanos was arraigned Wednesday on charges including conspiracy to commit murder. Both are charged in the Dec. 18 drive-by shooting of 12-year-old Clinton Howell.

Both were ordered held in lieu of $1 million bonds during their court appearances.

A14-year-old boy and a12-year-old boy are being prosecuted as juveniles.

According to court documents, Chambers made a full videotaped confession. He told police the suspects were driving around in a stolen vehicle and were looking for Howell’s cousin, whom they believed was a member of a rival gang after trading insults with him online. They had never met.

After spotting the cousin, the suspects yelled at him. He responded by firing at them with a pellet gun, according to the court documents.

Bolanos then drove to the end of the block and made a U-turn. One of the other suspects handed Chambers a loaded 9 mm handgun, and Chambers told the detective he extended his hand out the rear passenger window and fired twice.

Howell was shot once in the chest and died at Bridgeport Hospital.

“I didn’t know that he was 12 years old,” Chambers told police, according to court documents.

Police said they later recovered the gun used in the shooting.

Both Chambers, who is a citizen of Jamaica, and Bolanos, who is being prosecuted as an adult, are due back in court Jan. 8.