Search for suspect connected to West Hartford shooting comes to an end

WEST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - A rollover crash in West Hartford that left one person with serious injuries is connected to a shots fired report on University of St. Joseph campus.

Police gave an update on the investigation. You can watch it below:

Massachusetts State Police reported that they were searching for 22-year-old Darnell Barnes in connection with the shooting that happened in West Hartford early Friday morning.

West Hartford Police now say that Barnes was taken into custody shortly after 11:30pm Sunday night and will hold a press conference on Monday with more information on his arrest.

The original search was underway in the Russell, MA and Blandford, MA area.

Part of the Mass Pike was closed in Hampden County. MA troopers said they cleared a car on the highway that Barnes had been driving.

They described the suspect as a male, age 22, who is about 5′5″ tall.

They said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

“Please use caution as the firearm used in this incident has not been recovered,” West Hartford police warned in a news release.

West Hartford police said they were called a scene at 2:20 a.m. on Friday. A report of a rollover accident on Albany Avenue near Bainton Road came in around that time.

“About the same time we responded to a rollover motor vehicle accident on Albany Ave near Bane Road,” said Daniel Moffo with the West Hartford Police Department.

“It’s frightening. Every morning we wake up and somebody is shot or somethings bad happened it’s frightening. We are in our 80s and lived in Hartford our whole life its frightening,” said Frank Luczak of Glastonbury.

Officers said they also responded to a report of gunfire in a parking area on the west side of the University of St. Joseph’s campus around the same time.

The driver of the vehicle suffered serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Albany Avenue between Steele Road and Prospect Avenue was shut down while police investigated. The road has since reopened.

Police asked the public to remain patient while their investigation continued.

The scenes cleared up in Connecticut but continued in Massachusetts, where police say K9s, tactical units, and drones went on the hunt for Barnes.

Eventually police found the car he was driving on the Mass Turnpike in Blandford, which was a black Nissan pathfinder with New Mexico plates.

Barnes was not inside. Residents there urged to stay inside and lock their doors.

The University of St. Joseph issued a statement about what happened later Friday morning.

St. Joseph’s campus closed at 2 p.m. Friday out of an abundance of caution. Residential students were told to stay indoors on campus.

The school said Barnes is not a student at the University of St. Joseph.

Anyone who witnessed the incident was asked to contact West Hartford police at 860-523-5203. The tip line and email can also be used at 860-570-8969 or whpdtips@westhartfordct.gov.

This is a developing story. Stay with Eyewitness News for updates.

Copyright 2022 WFSB. All rights reserved.