On a late Saturday morning, January 26, 2019, Eric B. Salters Jr., a 28-year-old male, was taking a break from his studies at the New England Tractor Trailer Training School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. As he walked through the parking lot on Barnum Avenue toward his car around 11:30 a.m., he was suddenly confronted by a lone gunman. Without any apparent provocation, the assailant opened fire, striking Salters multiple times, including a severe wound to his head.
He was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital in critical condition. For days, he fought for his life, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries on February 4, 2019, marking the city's third homicide of the year. At the time of his death, Salters was an expectant father, trying to build a better future for his growing family.
The Bridgeport Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the brazen daytime shooting. Detectives believed the attack was not random and that Salters was the intended target, though a clear motive remained elusive. In the weeks that followed, investigators pursued leads and reviewed surveillance footage from the area. This led them to release a video to the public in late February, showing a person of interest. The footage, captured in an apartment building on Canal Street in a neighboring town, Shelton, showed a man carrying a distinctive backpack. Police also identified a second man in the video who was carrying a cane, but while they were able to speak with him, he was reportedly uncooperative with the investigation.
Despite the public plea for information and the video evidence, the case grew cold. No arrests have ever been made in the killing of Eric Salters Jr., and the primary person of interest remains unidentified. The case officially remains an open and active investigation. In March 2021, the Salters family, still searching for answers, filed a lawsuit against the tractor-trailer school, alleging negligence in providing adequate security. As part of their civil case, they sought access to the police department's investigative files. However, the city of Bridgeport filed a motion to block the release of the records, arguing that it could compromise their ongoing homicide investigation and potentially endanger witnesses. Years later, the family continues to live with the profound loss and the absence of justice, periodically renewing their plea for anyone with information to come forward.
