State Police Investigate Shooting Of Intruder

By Andrew Gorosko

SOUTHBURY — State police report that a man whose last known address was in Sandy Hook was shot and seriously injured by a Southbury homeowner after the man apparently burglarized the homeowner’s basement about 2 am on Sunday, November 4.

State police spokesman Lieutenant J. Paul Vance this week identified the intruder as Justin Alter, 21, whose last known address was on Cypress Trail in the Riverside section of Sandy Hook.

Lt Vance said November 6 that Alter was in “serious but stable condition” in Waterbury Hospital.

On November 7, a hospital spokeswoman would only describe Alter’s condition as “stable.”

Lt Vance stressed that no charges have been filed in the case, adding that the incident is under investigation.

State police’s Troop A barracks in Southbury received a 911 telephone call shortly after 2 am on November 4 from John Nagy of 44 Berkshire Road in Southbury, reporting that he had just encountered an intruder who had broken into his home. Nagy told state police the he believed he may have shot the intruder during the encounter.

After state police responded to the scene, Nagy told them that he had been awakened by noise in the basement, after which he went there armed with a weapon, according to Lt Vance.

After Nagy encountered Alter in the basement, Alter moved toward Nagy, after which Nagy shot his gun in the direction of Alter and then left the basement to await the state police, according to Lt Vance. Nagy was not injured in the incident.

Nagy told state police that he believed Alter was still be in the basement.

State police searched the basement with a dog, after which they found Alter there suffering from an apparent single gunshot wound.

Ambulance staffers responded to the scene, provided emergency care and then transported Alter to Waterbury Hospital where he underwent surgery for his gunshot wound, according to Lt Vance.

State police did not publicly identify Alter until they had notified his family of the situation.

Lt Vance said an initial investigation showed that Alter had been driving a vehicle that was involved in a one-car accident on River Road in Southbury. After the accident, Alter left the accident scene on foot and walked for about 2,000 feet, after which he entered the basement and encountered Nagy, according to Lt Vance.

The Western District Major Crime Squad is investigating the incident.

State police plan to present their investigatory findings to the state’s attorney in terms of possible criminal charges in the case.