On a summer morning in Waterbury, Connecticut, 61-year-old David Shand was working as a clerk at the Bucks Hill Market. On July 20, 2014, his life was irrevocably altered when a man entered the store with the intent to rob it. The assailant, without warning, shot Shand in the neck. The violent encounter left him paralyzed from the neck down.
Following the shooting, Shand was transported to Waterbury Hospital and later transferred to Hartford Hospital for treatment.
Despite medical efforts, his injuries proved to be too severe. Ten days after the attack, on July 30, 2014, David Shand succumbed to the gunshot wound. His death was subsequently ruled a homicide.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly. Within hours of the robbery, police identified a suspect using the store's surveillance footage. The video reportedly showed the man stepping behind the counter, shooting Shand, and then stepping over his body to take money from the cash register. Based on this evidence, authorities arrested 19-year-old Tony Dupre.
Dupre, who had no prior arrests, was taken into custody after a brief foot chase. He was initially charged with criminal attempt at murder, first-degree robbery, larceny, and interfering with an officer. Following Shand's death, it was anticipated that the charges against Dupre would be upgraded. At his arraignment, a judge set his bond at $1 million, citing the serious and ultimately fatal injuries sustained by the victim.
