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02/06/2018 11:00 PMThe Guilford community has been searching for answers following the shooting death of 15-year-old Guilford High school student Ethan Song last week.
Guilford Police and State Police have been conducting the investigation after Guilford police responded to a call on the afternoon of Jan. 31. At a home on Seaside Avenue, police found two teens, one who was later identified as Song. Police have not released the identity of the other individual in the home at the time of the shooting, as he is a minor.
Guilford Police Chief Jeff Hutchinson made it clear in the days following the shooting that an investigation is underway, but no details were being released to the public at that time. However, after an article in The Hartford Courant came out on Feb. 7, Guilford Police have responded to some of the claims about the investigation listed in the article.
“Rumors surrounding the circumstances of Ethan Song’s death immediately circulated via social media applications and word of mouth. Unfortunately, we have no control over rumors or speculation other than to provide the most updated and factual information possible. With that in mind, on Feb. 7, an article was published regarding the Ethan Song investigation. Following its publication, we have received multiple inquiries from other media outlets and the public seeking to verify what was printed. We feel it is important to address certain reported information. We have no evidence or information to suggest that the teens were playing a version of Russian roulette or that the boys thought the gun was unloaded because there was no magazine in it,” the press release read.
According to the release, police are working “with the state’s attorney’s office and we are continuing to investigate whether any charges will be filed as a result of this tragic death.” No further information will be released at this time as this is an active investigation.
Late last week Hutchinson confirmed Song’s autopsy has been completed, but the cause and manner of his death are still undetermined pending further investigation. Liaisons have been assigned to the families involved at this time to ensure “they receive any information first,” according to Hutchinson.
“We are still actively investigating, but there is a lot of work to do,” Hutchinson said previously. “We are anxious to provide answers to the families and certainly to the community to help understand what happened.”
The press release asked residents to remember that this is a very sensitive case.
“Our goal is to provide the most updated and accurate information to the family and the public while maintaining the integrity of the investigation. The nature of investigations is such that answers cannot always be provided as quickly as some would like. This is a tragedy not only for the Song family, but also for the family of the other juvenile involved and the community as a whole.”
Police made it clear in the press release that information will be released to news organizations and the public when it becomes available.
“News organizations have been both professional and patient in their reporting on this story and the Guilford Police Department would like to commend and thank them for continuing to do so as facts surrounding the case develop. We will provide more information when it becomes available and appropriate for release.”