Police are investigating after a 56-year-old man was attacked in an apartment in Hamden, Connecticut, on Sunday afternoon and died hours later.
Police said the victim, Larry Dildy, 56, of Circular Avenue in Hamden, was shot and possibly stabbed after an altercation and was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he died of his injuries around three hours later.
At 12:30 p.m., Dildy answered a knock at the door and a man entered the second-floor apartment at 397 Circular Ave., according to police. Whether the man was invited in or forced his way in is not clear, but police do not believe this was a random attack.
At first, there was an argument and police were called to respond. While police were on their way, the incident escalated and shots were fired, police said.
Several people were in the home when the attack happened and woman who is related to Dildy grabbed a broom handle, hitting the attacker several times, police said during a news conference on Monday
The woman was not hurt and the attacker ran off.
Nothing was stolen during the attack, according to police. The kitchen was ransacked, but investigators said that could have been a result of the altercation.
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Police are trying to indentify the assailant, but have a very vague description. They are also looking into whether there is any relationship between the attacker and Dildy, who police said was known to the department because he arrested around five years ago on drug charges.
There have been several recent home invasions in Hamden, but police do not believe this is connected.
Police said they are working on an arrest warrant in those cases and the subject is incarcerated.
Dilby's friends and neighbors are in shock by what happened over the weekend.
"We've just got to keep the family in prayers and just hope that his wife is doing OK,".Reverend James Newman, a friend, said.
Edward Broderick, a neighbor, said the crime is very disturbing.
“When you have children, you worry about yourself, but you worry more about your children. And it's a very sad event. This disturbs me greatly,” he said.
Terry Durham, who also lives in the neighborhood, was in disbelief.
"It's so quiet here. It's unbelievable to hear something like that happened," Durham said.
Police are following several leads in the case and said the major crimes division is working around the clock.
