Man in critical condition after being shot inside car in Bridgeport 

Former New Haven police chief pleads no contest to stealing $178,000

New Haven man drives himself to hospital after Bridgeport stabbing

High-end jewelry thefts from unoccupied Fairfield homes lead to arrest of 2 Brooklyn men

Gunfire strikes apartment window after separate shots-fired call in Bridgeport

Family grieves slain Con Edison worker as retired NYPD detective arrested in GWB shooting

connecticut

News 12 Staff

CT BridgeportShooting 1012__4aa497ca-1be5-4f47-b656-8ad8702248d0

First tonight, a man was shot to death in Bridgeport, and now the search is on for that killer. Justin Develi leads us off. This is devastating. I don't want to see another life get lost. Bridgeport police responded to the intersection of Cottage Street and Park Avenue around 9 a.m. Monday morning. As I come out of Black Rock Avenue, I saw all the cops' cars, a lot of police officers, a lot of yellow tape wrapped around, and I said, Wow, something happened here. When officers arrived, they say they found 48-year-old Nelson Man. Batista of Bridgeport lying on the street next to his car suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. Batista was rushed to St. Vincent's Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Authorities say. I'm just praying for the individual's family, Bridgeport police detective Jeffrey Holt says the intersection was closed for about 2 hours while the Major Crimes Unit processed the scene. As of Monday evening, no arrests have been made. Officials say it's the city's 8th homicide of the year. I am just as pissed as anybody else. Every time I hear about somebody getting stabbed, somebody dying of overdoses, somebody getting shot senselessly, it bothers me. Councilman George Cruz says the violence in his district is getting out of hand. He says there was a stabbing around the corner just a few days ago. All I have to say is that the people that live in the community, they got to stand up. They've got to wake up. They got to report everything that's going on. They have to work with the police because this is just too much right now. Somebody died and if you witness something, say something. Call the anonymous number, the Bridgeport Police Department, work with them to cast this killer. I'm Justin Devela, News 12.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/39dd846a-4de5-4cfa-aae6-2a9474c0dbbd/39dd846a-4de5-4cfa-aae6-2a9474c0dbbd.transcribe

cottagesthomicidearrestCM__727f8cc9-ff1f-4023-9742-5a3e5097757a

First, an arrest in Bridgeport's latest homicide. Police say it was a road rage that ended in a shooting. News Twelve's Marissa Alter has more on what led to the break in this case a week later. Bridgeport police say this dash cam video shows the moments after 48 year old Nelson Manuel Batista was shot in the chest by a man. Video, they say, became a key piece of their investigation, helping them identify the suspect and make an arrest one week later. The result of this case was because we got help from the community. You know about a video that was posted that was a large part of this investigation. We commend that citizen that came forward. We were not pleased that that video went viral online. But the result is we do have an arrest here today. 57-year-old Jorge Luis Ortiz is charged with murder and criminal possession of a firearm. The search to find him began after police responded to Cottage Street by Park Avenue around 9 in the morning last Monday. They found Batista lying in the road next to his car, shot. This was a random act. We could even characterize it. Somewhat of a road rage incident, so it was really important that we got this particular individual off the streets as quickly as possible because he was a threat to the community. Ortiz went before a judge at Bridgeport Superior Court where he had his bond doubled from 2.5 to $5 million due to his criminal history. It turns out Ortiz has a prior murder conviction from 1992 which he served time for. It's just um. Good to know that he's not out there anymore and he cannot cause anybody else or any other family any more harm. Batista's sister thanked the community and police for giving her family some closure with this arrest and said the timing was important. Her brother's viewing is Monday evening and his funeral Tuesday. We can lay him at peace. Thank you for providing us with peace. In Bridgeport, Marissa Alter, News 12.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/229fd90b-91f1-4d6e-8ea9-edbde8c5602f/229fd90b-91f1-4d6e-8ea9-edbde8c5602f.transcribe

birdgeporthomicidefamilyspeaksCM__85bcecc1-3a04-4839-8f38-15026f1bf570

The sister of 48 year old Nelson Manuel Batista, who was fatally shot in the chest right here on Park Avenue, says she is grateful that fifty-seven-year-old Jorge Luis Ortiz is off the street and charged with murder in her brother's killing. He was caught exactly on the same day of his funeral, so for us it meant a lot. It was. A symbol of Nelson getting justice and peace, it also brought me peace. 34 year old Wis Lady Cruz says she is also grateful to the woman whose dash cam captured the deadly encounter, which police describe as a random case of road rage. It was a nightmare to watch that of your loved one. Being taken away so violently, but we're very grateful, um, that because of the video it led the police to an arrest. This is something that you see on TV or in a movie and you don't think that this can happen. To your family, this is Nelson and me when we were little, she says. Her brother, who was disabled, was on his way to pick up meds and a blood pressure kit when he encountered Ortiz, who had been previously convicted of murder in another case. We're just grateful that he's not in the street and he cannot hurt another family or take another person's life over a road rage over one second of. Of anger and she started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses and says she and her family are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community. Ortiz meantime is behind bars on a $5 million bond in Bridgeport, Frank Recchia News 12.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/1792d1f1-37ac-4456-9e2a-872c0eca4c70/1792d1f1-37ac-4456-9e2a-872c0eca4c70.transcribe

RTREGCTCottageStBportHomicideFoloMAlter4pm__708b613f-8a70-460e-9fc8-e1de9bc3a81c

New details tonight about Bridgeport's latest homicide and the suspect now in custody. Jorge Luis Ortiz was already convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years. News 12's Marissa Alter has a look at his arrest warrant. As Nelson Manuel Batista was laid to rest Tuesday, we're learning new information about how he lost his life. The day before, Bridgeport police announced Jorge Luis Ortiz was in custody and charged with murder for a deadly shooting they characterized as a road rage incident. Ortiz's arrest warrant now reveals details about what happened just before 9 in the morning on October 12. The warrant says cameras at nearby apartments show Ortiz on Park Avenue walking with a woman who appears to be trying to walk away from him. Batista is in his SUV and turns right from Park onto Cottage Street. That's when the warrant says Ortiz puts his hand on the passenger side of the vehicle, leading Batista to stop and get out. According to the warrant, Ortiz is already in a fighting stance and punches Batista in the head. Both men fall to the ground where the warrant says they scuffle for about 45 seconds and Batista is shot in the chest. A driver's dash cam captured the moments after that, including Ortiz hitting Batista in the head with a gun before he runs off. The video was turned over to police where a member of the Bridgeport task force identified Ortiz as someone he dealt with as recently as March. According to court records, that's when Ortiz was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, but it was his prior criminal history that was more concerning to police. His warrant says he was arrested for murder in 1989, convicted in 1992, and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Ortiz served his time and got out and according to his warrant was not on parole or probation at the time of this incident. That led the judge to double his bond to $5 million at his arraignment. Marissa Alter, News 12.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/868b1ca4-d73e-45f3-9439-5e096e32d705/868b1ca4-d73e-45f3-9439-5e096e32d705.transcribe

BHD_MURDER PKG RE-FEED WITH BLUR _LONG-ST1-100000000008426e_188_1

The sister of 48-year-old Nelson Manuel Batista says the past 48 hours have been a living nightmare after her brother was shot to death right here at Park Avenue and Cottage Street. Moments later, she got a telephone call from her father. He told me to sit down and that he had some very horrible news to tell me. And then he told me that Nelson was shot and killed. It happened right down the street from the family's home. Gunfire filling the neighborhood, and I couldn't believe it. I immediately fell to the ground. My daughter and my nephew, my other nephew, were able to grab me and just kind of support me. While details are sketchy, she says her brother, who was disabled, was on his way to pick up medication and a blood pressure kit when she says he encountered the gunman. The guy was walking. And they had maybe a verbal discussion and the guy was armed unfortunately the fatal shooting coming just weeks after the family had returned from California to bury Batista's son, 25 year old US Airman Pierce Batista, and now to have his father gone, my brother Nelson, it's very tragic. And it's very unbearable, and police offering no comment tonight on a video that's circulating on social media which the sister says actually shows a portion of the deadly encounter. The video, though heartbreaking, she says, is actually bringing police closer to getting justice for her family in Bridgeport, Frank Recchia, News 12.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/bc561a53-97a1-47a4-b9a8-4413417fb511/bc561a53-97a1-47a4-b9a8-4413417fb511.transcribe

Nelson Manuel Batista was shot and killed on Oct. 12 in what police say was a deadly road rage incident.

Local

Crime

Weather

Politics

Local

Crime

Weather

Politics

News

Community

Originals

Investigative

Entertainment

Science & Health

Choose Your Region

Be the first to know

News

Community

Originals

Investigative

Entertainment

Science & Health

Change

Be the first to know

More Stories

More from News 12

Bridgeport pastor recognized for starting food pantry amid massive cuts to SNAP benefits

'No Kings' rally in Stamford urges voter turnout ahead of Midterm Elections

'Terrifying.' Investigation continues into Milford homeless encampment attacks as police identify suspects

Greenwich mother pleads for living organ donor to help her 25-year-old son diagnosed with kidney failure

Bridgeport Hospital hosts community baby shower for expecting parents in need

Milford aldermen vote to pause Flock Condor cameras pending committee review

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Ad Choices

Privacy Manager