Female Officer Shoots Man As He Approaches On Her With Knife.
Posted on
July 18,2023
A man was released from the hospital following an officer-involved shooting in Manchester. He is now facing charges.
Manchester police were at a housing complex on North Main Street for hours on Sunday night.
The state Department of Criminal Justice and the Office of the Inspector General released body camera footage of the encounter on Tuesday
Police said they responded around 6:30 p.m. to a reported domestic dispute.
“The first officer to arrive on scene heard a male and female yelling,” police said in a news release. “The officer made contact with them, and a confrontation occurred between the male and the officer.”
The Office of the Inspector General identified the officer as Manchester Police Officer Haylee Oullette.
When she arrived, investigators said Ouellette entered the home and was confronted by Joseph Diloreto. Diloreto, who was armed with a knife, immediately became belligerent with Ouellette.
Investigators said Diloreto yelled “shoot me.” In an effort to neutralize Diloreto, Officer Ouellette deployed her taser, but it was unsuccessful.
They said Diloreto, still holding the knife, continued to advance on Ouellette. She retreated to an adjacent courtyard and repeatedly commanded Diloreto to drop the knife.
Investigators said Diloreto disregarded the commands and continued to advance on Ouellette and shouted “Hit me, hit me, hit me.”
Ouellette discharged her handgun multiple times and struck Diloreto in the upper left thigh.
He fell to the ground and Ouellette was able to secure the knife and handcuff him.
The victim was transported to Hartford Hospital for a non-life-threatening injury, according to police.
Manchester police said Diloreto was released from the hospital Tuesday.
Diloreto was arrested and charged with threatening second-degree, criminal attempt to commit assault first-degree, and assault of public safety personnel.
Police said Diloreto is held on a $250,000 bond. He will be arraigned in Manchester court Wednesday if he does not post bond.
At one point, neighbors said there were more than a dozen officers and EMS workers at the complex.
One person who lives there said she heard a confrontation before what sounded like gunshots.
“I heard somebody yelling at another person to get down on the ground,” said Heather Jolly of Manchester. “I heard it again. And then I heard several shots fired.”
“I hear bang bang bang bang. At least four or five shots and I could smell the gun powder,” said a neighbor who would only identify himself as Eddie.
Eddie and other people who lived there pieced the story together.
“The girlfriend supposedly what I was told, stabbed the boyfriend. But why the boyfriend got shot by the female officer?” said Eddie. “I have no clue.”
Police have not confirmed there was a stabbing, but multiple people at the complex said it happened.
Since a police officer is involved in the shooting, the investigation was sent to Inspector General Robert Devlin.
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