On the evening of March 20, 2023, in Meriden, Connecticut, a burst of gunfire shattered the calm near the intersection of West Main Street and Lewis Avenue. When police arrived around 6 p.m., they discovered a grim scene inside a parked car. Shawn Mojica, a 30-year-old Black/African American male, was inside the vehicle with a woman, both suffering from gunshot wounds. A handgun was also found within the car. They were rushed to local hospitals, but Mojica's injuries proved fatal.
The female companion survived with non-life-threatening wounds.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a person of interest, 33-year-old Warren Watson. In a strange twist, police located Watson inside another parked car on Grove Street, not far from the initial scene. He, too, had sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital for treatment. As detectives delved deeper, they sought and executed several search warrants for multiple vehicles and a second-floor apartment on Grove Street, where they discovered another handgun.
Investigators, aided by surveillance footage from local businesses and information from the public, were able to piece together the events that led to the deadly shooting. Police indicated that all individuals involved were acquainted with one another, reassuring the community that there was no ongoing threat. After being released from the hospital, Watson was initially arrested on unrelated charges, including operating a motor vehicle under suspension and several probation violations.
By March 23, 2023, the investigation had gathered enough evidence for detectives to secure an arrest warrant. Warren Watson was charged with the murder of Shawn Mojica. His charges also included first-degree assault, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal use of a firearm. He was taken into custody by the Department of Correction and held on a $2.5 million bond, bringing a swift, though somber, resolution to the violent encounter.
