New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Affidavit: How police made an arrest in a killing, cop shooting
NEW HAVEN — A series of confidential witnesses led New Haven police to make an arrest in connection with the death of a West Haven man and the shooting of a city police captain, according to court records.
Albert Eaddy, 59, is charged with murder, felony murder, firstdegree assault and two counts of first-degree robbery in connection with the Aug. 12, 2019, incident. He is being held in lieu of $2 million bail.
An affidavit written by Detective Kealyn Nivakoff seeking a warrant for Eaddy’s arrest was released by the state judicial branch Tuesday.
In the document, Nivakoff recounts that officers were called to the intersection of Dixwell Avenue and Henry Street by then-Capt. Anthony Duff, as well as four emergency calls, according to the warrant affidavit. The officers found Troy Clark, 46, and Duff suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Both were hospitalized. Duff recovered from his life-threatening injuries; Clark did not, and was pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of Clark’s death was gunshot wounds to the torso and extremities and deemed his death a homicide.
The Central District Major Crime Squad of the state police responded to the scene, which stretched more than a block, Nivakoff wrote.
Among other items, officers found 13 .40-caliber shell casings on Henry Street, Duff ’s off-duty firearm and a Glock 27 .40-caliber handgun, which state police determined through forensic analysis had fired all 13 shots, Nivakoff wrote in the warrant affidavit.
A day after the shooting, Nivakoff wrote in the warrant affidavit, New Haven police “received information from multiple confidential sources” identifying Eaddy as the alleged perpetrator.
Between Jan. 31 and March 5, 2020, four confidential witnesses and Duff testified in “confidential (proceedings)” before a Superior Court judge, Nivakoff wrote. Four more witnesses then testified in 2021, beginning in January.
Duff testified he had been driving on Dixwell Avenue with two passengers on the evening of Aug. 12, Nivakoff wrote in the warrant affidavit.
As Duff approached a stoplight, he heard a potential gunshot; searching for the source of the sound, he saw two people moving quickly, then, as he inched into the intersection, a person standing over another individual, who was lying on the ground with his arm raised. The person allegedly fired, striking the other individual, according to the warrant affidavit.
Duff began to call in the incident, according to the affidavit, then got out of his car with radio and off-duty firearm.
“Duff approached the suspect with his gun drawn, identified himself as a police officer, and gave verbal commands to drop the gun. There was a momentary standoff, where Duff was able to see that the suspect had something in his arms. The suspect’s hands were somewhat folded or covered by something, thus obscuring the weapon,” Nivakoff wrote, recounting Duff’s testimony. “Duff testified that he knew the suspect had a gun, and focused his attention on where the gun would be. Therefore, he did not get a good look at the suspect’s face.”
The suspect individual took off running on Henry Street, with Duff giving chase, according to the affidavit. During the pursuit, the suspect allegedly “turned and fired multiple shots at Duff,” who, upon realizing he was wounded, stopped running, but kept his eyes on the fleeing individual as he cut through two houses, appeared on Townsend Street, then disappeared from sight.
Multiple witnesses, none of whom are named by police, described seeing portions of a confrontation, according to the affidavit. The third witness said they heard two men arguing “with one crying out in pain, ‘Why did you shoot me? ...,” and the other demanding money, threatening to fire again, then firing another shot.
The seventh unnamed confidential witness, testifying in January 2021, said hewas with Clark near the intersection of Dixwell and Henry before the shooting, according to the affidavit.
Initially, the witness said he had not seen the gunman wield a firearm during the incident, Nivakoff said. He also had said the same to New Haven police, who had interviewed him about the matter in September 2019.
“However, as (the witness’s) testimony before the Superior Court Judge developed, he began to make admissions which he stated he was uttering for the first time. Most importantly, he...subsequently identified as a man known to him as ‘Kleiko,’ fire a handgun at Troy Clark,” Nivakoff wrote.
According to the warrant affidavit, Eaddy also is known as Kleiko.
The witness said he had handed over his own money when threatened by the alleged perpetrator, spotting a gun in his left hand, then testified he had seen the perpetrator shoot Clark, Nivakoff wrote.
The witness also identified Eaddy as the perpetrator from a photo array, Nivakoff said. Another witness, testifying Feb. 9, did the same.
Further, another witness said “he had seen ‘Kleiko’ around New Haven for years and was 100 percent sure that he was the man fighting with Troy (Clark),” Nivakoff wrote. ”
The witness “said he had consulted with his pastor after receiving the subpoena, who encouraged him to tell the truth. When asked whether his testimony was truthful, CW8 stated ‘yes it is the truth. The God honest truth.’” Nivakoff wrote in the warrant affidavit.
Eaddy was charged with the alleged crime in late August.
He was held in lieu of a $2 million bail and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.