A Connecticut policewoman was viciously attacked by a hammer-wielding man, police said.
The Middletown Police Department said at 6:33 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, authorities received a complaint of noise and broken glass on a residential street.
Detective Karli Travis, who runs the Middletown Police Cadet Program and serves in the Patrol Division, was the first officer to respond to the call. She approached the resident on foot and police say they immediately noticed the suspect, Winston Tate, 52, wielding a blunt object.
In the body camera footage, Winston Tate is seen charging towards Detective Karli Travis wielding a hammer and yelling at the officer. Detective Travis is heard repeatedly asking the suspect to drop the hammer. (Office of the Connecticut Inspector General)
During a press conference on Tuesday, August 15, Middletown Police Department Chief Eric McCallister said Travis calmly asked Tate to drop the object, a metal hammer, to the ground.
He refused, although the officer repeatedly insisted that Tate do so.
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“Can you write that down, please,” Travis is heard calmly saying in body camera footage, released by the Connecticut Inspector General’s office.
“No!” Tate is heard barking back.
A close up of Winston Tate’s hammer he used to strike Detective Karli Travis. The officer used his handgun to repeatedly shoot Tate. (Office of the Connecticut Inspector General)
As Travis radioed to save his co-workers, Tate is seen in body camera footage charging towards her, wielding a hammer.
Body camera footage shows violence immediately ensues as Tate tackles the police officer and the pair begin to struggle.
Chief McCallister said the detective tried to distance herself from her attacker and continued to tell the suspect to put the hammer down. Travis finally pulls out his handgun and begins to rapidly shoot Tate.
Body camera footage shows Winston Tate pushing Detective Karli Travis to the ground. Tate is seen with a hammer and Officer Travis is seen with his handgun. (Office of the Connecticut Inspector General)
Police said she was “fighting for her life”, as Tate repeatedly beat her with the hammer.
“Stop,” hears Travis shout as Tate continues to beat her with the metal gun.
After firing additional rounds at her attacker, Tate retreated inside her residence, authorities said. Back-up agents arrived and quickly surrounded the residence where Tate was immediately arrested.
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He was taken to hospital where he was treated. Detective Travis was also injured in the hammer attack and she was taken to hospital, but was released later that evening with minor injuries.
Chief McCallister called his actions an “act of extreme heroism”.
The Middletown Police Department said Winston Tate remained at an area hospital in custody. A warrant for his arrest has been served and Tate is charged with attempted felony first degree assault, second degree assault, assault on public safety personnel and interference with police. (Middletown Police Department)
Police said Tate was charged with attempted felony first-degree assault, second-degree assault, assaulting public safety personnel and interfering with police.
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He was being held on $500,000 bail. Tate is due in court on October 3.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing by the Inspector General’s office.