Soulemane’s family calls for justice as Conn. trooper faces judge
MILFORD — A Connecticut State Police trooper briefly faced a judge Tuesday morning in connection with the 2020 shooting death of New Haven resident Mubarak Soulemane.
Trooper Brian North, arraigned on a first-degree manslaughter charge, had his case transferred to Part A proceedings, where more serious criminal matters are heard. The case was continued to June 2.
At least 30 troopers sat in the courtroom gallery in support of North. Across the aisle, five of Soulemane’s family members were present for the hearing.
Afterward, Omo Mohammed, Soulemane’s mother, called for justice in her son’s death. She said the family would not be cowed, saying she believed “in my heart” that the police presence was meant to be intimidating.
“We are here today for justice — justice for my son, Mubarak Soulemane, who has been massacred by State Trooper Brian North,” Mohammed said. “I hope justice will be served.”
Ahead of the proceedings, dozens of state troopers gathered and marched from the nearby train station to the Milford courthouse.
After a two-year investigation, Inspector General Richard Devlin completed the report and brought the manslaughter charge, determining North’s use of force was not justified.
“Stated briefly, the investigation establishes that, at the time Trooper North fired his weapon, neither he nor any other person was in imminent danger of serious
injury or death from a knife attack at the hands of Soulemane. Further, any belief that persons were in such danger was not reasonable,” Devlin said in the report.
‘Stand up for our troopers’
Matthews said Tuesday the union felt an obligation to support troopers they believe to be “prosecuted for doing their job.”
Matthews said troopers often feel compelled now to be reactive, rather than proactive, which he believes imperils the public.
“We have to stand up for our troopers,” Matthews said.
Cathleen Walsh and Amy Bourdon, residents of Oxford and Cheshire who started a “Blue Lives Matter Connecticut” Facebook page, were in attendance as North entered the courtroom to offer their support for law enforcement, waving a “Thin Blue Line” flag.
“This war that’s going on
against our cops nationwide has to stop, just has to stop,” Walsh said. “Trooper North was protecting two other cops. … I want to make sure that he gets a fair trial, and I just back the blue. If a cop is bad, of course, we don’t want that, but 99 percent of our cops are good and we need to support them.”
After the proceedings, the Rev. Kevin McCall, a civil rights activist and founder of The Crisis Action Center, raised the call of “Justice for Mubarak.”
North’s attorney, Jeffrey Ment, declined to comment on Tuesday.
The two-year investigation
The incident unfolded on Jan. 15, 2020, when Soulemane went to Norwalk following an argument with his brother, according to Devlin’s report.
Soulemane, 19, suffered from schizophrenia, his mother told investigators.
His girlfriend told the Department of Criminal Justice that Soulemane had become “erratic, paranoid and disorganized” in the days prior to the shooting.
Soulemane, who grew up in Norwalk, pulled a knife while at an AT&T store on Main Avenue, the report stated. Soulemane left the store and got into a Hyundai operated by a ride share driver, according to the report.
The driver got out of the car at a nearby gas station after a confrontation with Soulemane, the report stated. Soulemane then stole the car and headed up Interstate 95 where state police engaged in a high-speed pursuit, according to the report.
The pursuit was captured on dashboard camera footage from responding troopers.
Soulemane exited the highway at Exit 43 in West Haven, striking a Chevy Trailblazer, according to the report.
Troopers Ross Dalling, Joshua Jackson and North “effectively blocked-in” the vehicle on Campbell Avenue, according to the report.
“Jackson ordered the driver out of the car, but received no response. He later said that the driver seemed ‘out of it.’ Jackson then proceeded to the passenger side. North took a position at the driver-side window and Dalling was to the rear. North directed Jackson to use his Taser. West Haven Police Officer Robert Rappa smashed the passenger side window using Jackson’s police baton. Jackson then deployed his Taser through the broken out window toward Soulemane. Rappa yelled, ‘he’s reaching!’ Soulemane then moved his arm upward holding a knife pointed toward the ceiling of the car,” Devlin wrote in the report.
“North immediately fired his gun seven times through the driver side window into Soulemane’s chest area. North then yelled, ‘drop the knife!’” Devlin wrote. “North was able to break away the shattered glass and retrieved a kitchen knife from the Hyundai that he placed on the hood of the car. Other police officers pulled Soulemane from the car and proceeded to provide medical aid. He was not responsive.”
In a statement, North later told police he saw Soulemane’s “eyes open wide” as Rappa shattered the passenger-side window. He said he believed Rappa was attempting to enter the vehicle at that time, the report stated. North said he saw Soulemane quickly move his right hand into his pocket and remove a knife, then “abruptly move in the driver’s seat,” the report stated.
“I quickly took my eyes off the suspect and looked in the direction of (Trooper) Jackson and the West Haven officer. I saw (Trooper) Jackson quickly advancing toward the open passenger window and I could not see the West Haven officer anymore. This led me to believe that the West Haven officer had already begun to enter the suspect vehicle to take control of the suspect. I immediately looked back at the suspect and saw that he still had the knife in his hand, and was making furtive movements,” North said in a statement.
“The suspect was moving and holding the knife in an aggressive manner, and appeared to me to be preparing to attack either (Trooper) Jackson or the West Haven officer. Based on these circumstances, I believed that (Trooper) Jackson and the West Haven officer were at imminent risk of serious physical injury or death, and could have been stabbed in the neck or face as they attempted to enter the vehicle and remove the suspect. As a result, I discharged my duty firearm to eliminate the threat,” North said.
Rappa later told investigators that he had broken the window “to open a line of communication with Soulemane” and allow for the use of a Taser. He said he had not intended to enter the vehicle, the report stated.
Jackson later told investigators that he had intended to enter the car and secure Soulemane, according to the report. The Taser appeared to have been ineffective, he said. Soulemane, holding the knife, “turned his whole torso” toward him and looked at him, the report stated.
However, Devlin determined that neither Rappa nor Jackson were in danger at the time.
“Soulemane was in the driver’s seat of the Hyundai and they were outside of the vehicle,” Devlin stated in the report.
Although Soulemane held a knife, “he was not using the knife against them nor presenting any imminent threat to do so,” Devlin stated.
Devlin also said it was unreasonable to fire seven shots. One shot, he said, “might have disabled Soulemane from attacking others yet not kill him.”
The Soulemane family has filed a lawsuit and wrongful death claim in the wake of Mubarak’s death, alleging negligence.