According to court documents, a man who has previously been convicted of attempted murder and assault is suspected of shooting a woman during a neighbour argument in Bristol in October 2024.

Jose Cruz-Rosa, 47, of Middletown, was arrested on April 15 for first-degree assault, illegal discharge of a handgun, first-degree reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a firearm, according to the Bristol Police Department.

According to the warrant affidavit supporting the allegations, on October 9, 2024, at 7:02 p.m., officers arrived to Conlon Street on a complaint of shots fired and discovered a lady with a gunshot wound to her leg. Police used a tourniquet and gauze to stop the bleeding before transporting her to Hartford Hospital.

The victim, who lives in an apartment on Conlon Street, told officers she had been experiencing problems with certain neighbours across the street, one of whom attempted to fight with her family members, according to the warrant affidavit. According to the warrant document, she claimed that during the fight, a man with “poofy hair” and a white T-shirt pulled out a revolver and shot her.

Responding officers discovered bullet shells in two different sections of Conlon Street and later learnt from witnesses that the altercation occurred between a group of three to four persons in a residential driveway and a larger group of people on the street, according to the warrant affidavit.

During the dispute, which had numerous people yelling at each other, someone in the smaller group allegedly fired two to three bullets towards the larger group in the street, according to witnesses. According to the warrant document, witnesses reported that a member in the larger group then reportedly pulled out a pistol and returned fired. According to the warrant affidavit, witnesses described the second gunman as a male who lived on the street at the time and was identified by police as Cruz-Rosa.

According to the warrant affidavit, the two groups dispersed after the second round of bullets was fired, resulting in a chaotic situation when cops arrived. As patrol police responded, reports came in that two vehicles and maybe one individual on foot had departed the area. Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division later arrived to investigate.

According to the warrant document, detectives who searched the site for evidence quickly concluded that bullets were fired from two different locations. Investigators first assumed that the lady who was shot was the first to fire rounds during the altercation, but forensic testing later revealed no proof that she had shot a gun, according to the warrant affidavit.

While detectives were still on the site, Cruz-Rosa arrived in a black Nissan Maxima and agreed to speak with an officer. According to the warrant document, he informed police that after discovering that his family had been shot at, he checked on them and then went out to buy smokes.

Police at the scene conducted a gunshot residue test on his hands. Investigators also tested the shooting victim’s and her son’s hands, according to the warrant affidavit.

A day after the shooting, officials acquired a search warrant for the gunshot victim’s residence, according to the warrant affidavit. Police reported that during the search, they discovered a box of gun ammo and a gun box, but no handgun. The seized ammo matched a shell casing discovered near the injured victim, according to the warrant affidavit.

During a later interview with detectives, Cruz-Rosa reiterated his earlier testimony to police and provided further information about what he said he was doing when the gunshot occurred. He told detectives he was cooking supper when he heard family members outside yelling with someone, according to the warrant affidavit. According to the warrant affidavit, he heard gunfire, which he described as “pop, pop, pop,” as he made his way outside.

After checking on his family, Cruz-Rosa informed authorities he was leaving to get cigarettes as officers swarmed on the neighbourhood. Detectives questioned his account, saying it was not “normal” for someone to go out to get smokes after learning their family had been shot at, according to the warrant affidavit. According to the warrant document, he allegedly informed officers that he “was scared” despite his prior criminal background.

According to the warrant affidavit, Cruz-Rosa admitted to investigators that he had a poor past. “I never aim at anyone, you know what I mean? I’ve never lived that kind of life.”

According to the warrant affidavit, forensic testing of Cruz-Rosa’s hands revealed “strong evidence” of gunshot residue.

The test on the gunshot victim’s hands came out negative. According to the warrant affidavit, tests revealed that her son most likely had gun residue on one of his hands. According to court papers seen on Wednesday, he was not charged.

According to the warrant affidavit, Cruz-Rosa’s prior criminal history includes a 1999 attempted murder conviction, as well as earlier convictions for hallucinogen/narcotics selling, narcotics possession, and second-degree assault. He is currently being held on a $250,000 bail and is set to appear in New Britain Superior Court on May 6.

According to court records, Cruz-Rosa’s bond can only be posted in the courthouse, and if he is released, he will be subject to Intensive Pretrial Supervision, which includes GPS monitoring and 24/7 house arrest. He has not filed a plea to the accusations.