In the early morning hours of September 23, 2017, a verbal dispute on a busy Hartford sidewalk escalated into a burst of gunfire that left four people shot. Among the victims was 37-year-old Jovan Wooten, a Black male from New Britain. Responding to alerts from the city's ShotSpotter system and multiple 911 calls, police arrived at the scene on Albany Avenue to a chaotic scene of violence.
Wooten was discovered unresponsive, having sustained a gunshot wound to his face and eye.
Emergency services transported Wooten to St. Francis Hospital, where he fought for his life for six days before succumbing to his injuries on September 29, 2017. Another man, 31-year-old Joshua Taylor, was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. Two other men were also wounded in the shooting but sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation into the deadly encounter revealed that an argument had preceded the gunfire.
Investigators learned that Jovan Wooten, who was a licensed gun permit holder, had returned fire after Taylor was shot. It is believed that Wooten did not strike the shooter. A gun was found in his hand when police arrived. Through the use of surveillance video, the analysis of forensic evidence, and the cooperation of citizens, Hartford police were able to identify a suspect in the double homicide.
In November 2017, authorities arrested Latroy Johnson, a 40-year-old convicted felon from Windsor. He was charged with two counts of murder, first-degree assault, and criminal possession of a firearm. Johnson was taken into custody without incident during a meeting with his probation officer. His bond was set at $2 million. In 2022, Johnson was convicted of the murders of both Jovan Wooten and Joshua Taylor. The Connecticut Supreme Court later upheld his conviction in January 2025. During his trial, Johnson claimed he acted in self-defense, a claim the court ultimately rejected.
