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The Waterbury Times | Hartford, Connecticut

The Office of the Inspector General has released a preliminary report regarding the use of deadly force by the Hartford Police Department on March 6, 2025, which resulted in the death of 21-year-old William Bowen, an African-American male.

According to initial police reports, Hartford Police Command Center personnel were monitoring Instagram Live that afternoon when they observed a man—later identified as Bowen—walking through Hartford displaying what appeared to be a firearm. Officers tracked him to the vicinity of Homestead Avenue, alerting members of the Greater Hartford Auto Theft Task Force.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Task Force officers in unmarked vehicles converged on Bowen near 70–72 Homestead Avenue. During that encounter, police say Bowen displayed a handgun, prompting Officer Robert Bohm and Detective Benjamin Lee to fire multiple shots. Bowen then fled through the backyard of the property and continued into a nearby yard on Magnolia Street.

While the situation was unfolding, Detective Joseph Walsh positioned himself on the sidewalk in front of 9–11 Magnolia Street. Investigators report that Bowen emerged from a narrow alley and ran directly toward Detective Walsh, who shouted, “Drop the gun, drop the gun,” before firing multiple rounds that fatally wounded Bowen. The exchange was captured on a nearby doorbell camera.

Police rendered medical aid at the scene before Bowen was transported to Saint Francis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Evidence Collected

During the scene investigation, detectives from the State Police Major Crime Squad recovered two Glock handguns—one with a large-capacity magazine—matching those seen in Bowen’s Instagram Live video. One firearm was found along Bowen’s path of flight; the other was retrieved from a discarded backpack.

The Inspector General’s Office has also obtained digital evidence, including:

• Screenshots from Bowen’s Instagram Live showing him holding two firearms;
• Dashboard camera footage from an unmarked Task Force vehicle capturing the Homestead Avenue encounter;
• Surveillance video showing Bowen discarding a backpack while running through the rear yard;
• Body-worn camera footage from Detective Walsh documenting the fatal encounter.

Medical Examiner’s Findings

On March 7, 2025, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy. The cause of death was determined to be “gunshot wounds of torso and right upper and lower extremities,” and the manner of death was ruled homicide. Toxicology results and the death certificate remain pending.

The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Office of Inspector General, Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad, and the Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office.

Inspector General Devlin emphasized that the investigation remains active and that a final report will be issued once all evidence and analyses are complete.