Waldemar Santiago: Connecticut teen shot dead at memorial of pal killed a month ago
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT: A teen was shot dead at a friend's memorial who was gunned down a month earlier, reports cited. Waldemar Santiago, who was a 16-year-old freshman at Weaver High School in Hartford, was shot multiple times around 1.10 am Monday, September 27, on Martin Street, authorities reported. Santiago was declared dead at a hospital later.
Investigators have reason to believe Santiago was targeted by someone in a car, Hartford police said. The drive-by shooting occurred at a memorial for Waldemar’s best friend, Juan Bautista Garcia, who previously lived at the residence before he was shot dead in a parked car nearby in August, reports say. Hartford police Lt Aaron Boisvert noted Tuesday, September 28 that no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting so far.
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Waldemar had stopped by the memorial almost daily to "hang around with his best friend for a little bit," his aunt, Karolina Pagan said on Monday. "He didn’t think being here, reflecting with his lost friend, that it would be his last day,” she said, adding that her nephew was an "energetic teen" with a "smile of gold". Calling on city officials to curb Hartford’s gun violence, Pagan said, "We need to do better. These young kids are not getting to sprout out to young, you know, grown men. Kids are being left without brothers, fathers. You know, moms are left without sons, aunts without nephews. This is so sad." Waldemar’s shooting marked the 28th homicide this year in Hartford, according to the station.
A spokesman for Hartford Public Schools informed that extra counsellors were made available at Weaver High School Monday. No arrests have been made in connection with Juan Bautista Garcia’s August 8 shooting, Boisvert noted. He declined to discuss possible suspects in Santiago’s murder but hinted that the teen likely knew his killer. "It’s under investigation, the connection there. He was there at the vigil, but it’s unclear how long, " Boisvert said of Waldemar’s visit to the memorial. It is not clear what vehicle was used during the shooting, Boisvert said.