An 18-year-old man was arrested following an alleged altercation and shots-fired incident outside a fast food restaurant in East Haven Thursday after a juvenile and his friend told police they were robbed during the sale of a watch.
The East Haven Public Safety Communications Center received multiple 911 calls just before 2 p.m. Thursday reporting a fight and possible shots fired in a parking lot at a McDonald’s located at 687 Main St., according to Capt. Joseph M. Murgo of the East Haven Police Department.
Reports alleged that several individuals ran from the scene after hearing what they believed to be gunshots.
Arriving officers encountered several individuals who were allegedly involved in the dispute, and they also located spent shell casings, Murgo said.
According to Murgo, the individuals at the scene alleged that they had been robbed by a man they met online who was interested in purchasing a watch they listed for sale.
A juvenile told police he and a friend met with the man and, after the watch was handed over, “multiple attempts to complete an electronic payment through an app were unsuccessful, at which point a struggle ensued,” Murgo said.
The alleged victims claimed that the man pulled a firearm out, which resulted in a struggle for the gun, according to Murgo. During the struggle, the suspect allegedly fired several shots.
No one was struck or injured, Murgo said. One of the alleged victims was reportedly able to remove an extended magazine from the firearm, which was left at the scene, according to Murgo.
The suspect then allegedly fled the area in a silver Nissan sedan with the stolen watch, Murgo said.
Detectives quickly identified the suspect as Isiah Lee Falconer and made contact with him at his home in Hamden. According to Murgo, he was taken into custody and was transported to the East Haven Police Department where he was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree threatening, illegal discharge of a firearm, illegal possession of a large capacity magazine, carrying a pistol without a permit and sixth-degree larceny.
Falconer was held on a $250,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Friday in New Haven.
The East Haven Police Department reminded residents “to use extreme caution when selling items to strangers they meet online,” Murgo said, and offered the following tips:
Meet in a public, well-lit location, preferably during daylight hours. Many police departments offer safe spaces for online transactions.
Bring another person when possible and let someone else know where you’re going and who you’re meeting.
Do not hand over the item until payment is fully completed and verified. If using an electronic payment app, confirm the funds have transferred to your account before releasing the item.
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, rushed behavior, excuses about payment issues or pressure to move locations, end the meeting immediately.
Avoid sharing personal information, including your home address, school or daily routines, and keep communication within the platform when possible.
