From Bill Kaempffer, public safety spokesman:
On 3/22/2014 Patrol Officers Hanson and Bensey responded to 525 Palisades Ave apt #506 on a report of an unresponsive party in the apartment, possibly barricaded inside. Upon arrival they were met by the occupant’s sister who stated she located her brother Alejandro Velez inside the apartment, unresponsive, the door was barricaded by furniture and had to be forced open.
Upon checking the apartment she located an unidentified female lying on the bathroom floor, also unresponsive, apparently suffering from multiple stab wounds. The medics were summoned to the scene and the female was pronounced dead by AMR personnel, Velez was subsequently transported to Bridgeport Hospital for treatment.
Based on information obtained by investigators, and evidence located at the scene, Alejandro Velez is being charged with Murder by investigating Detectives Lariccia/Ferri/Curet, and being detained on $1 Million Bond; his condition is listed as critical, but stable, and is currently in the hospital’s ICU.
The apartment where the incident occurred is rented by the suspect’s mother who currently is in Florida. Velez has an extensive criminal history which includes arson, assault on an officer and other offenses. This is Bridgeport’s first homicide of the year.
The victim has been tentatively identified through photos. She will be positively identified through fingerprints during autopsy.
You have to wonder how many other illegal tenants there are in our elderly housing. There was a time you had to be elderly to live in these buildings now you get section 8 young people and you get former young addicts all being mixed in with the elderly. I have seen this happen at Fireside Apts and at the Curtis Homes. The housing authority is responsible for who resides here and it should not be anyone but the elderly. In some case we are bringing the prey to the fox. Maybe, just maybe those assholes at the housing authority will pay attention.
I think it’s all about the money, I guess they’re guaranteed payment, who knows?
*** Mother in Florida, leaves apt in the hands of her children to watch and take care of and this happens, sad! You see many shady characters in some of these elderly housing complexes due to being possible family members, visiting friends or tenants on State due to some type of mental disability or HIV, cancer or past injuries, etc. In some cases ex-criminals with criminal0type friends. And as the economy continues to slowly linger with fewer jobs and less pay and it becomes harder to find decent shelter along with rising taxes and utilities, etc., forcing homeowners to sell their homes and rent instead to be able to keep up. The problem is only going to get worse; especially for baby boomers! This is happening in many ex-industrial-type urban towns and cities across America. *** Solutions, maybe spend more money on foreign aid to countries that are not yet really proven allies of the United States instead of taking care of “our own” starting with our VETS? ***
Mojo–the homes for the elderly are supposed to be just that, homes for the elderly. Putting ex-offenders, adult children and section 8 housing in areas specifically for the elderly is wrong.
This type of housing should be strictly regulated with no deviation from whom it was intended to house. The propensity for criminal activity occurs (such as in this situation) when their problematic adult children move in with them. Pet sitting while the mother is in Florida sounds like a bit of a weak excuse as to why he was staying in that apartment. There should be some regulations in place that are staunchly adhered to and checks of those apartments to ensure no one other than the person(s) on the lease are living there. Harsh as it may seem, a breach of that regulation should result in giving notice an eviction will take place if the people who don’t belong there don’t leave. The well-being of the other tenants must be the utmost consideration.
Godiva, many of these units are managed and owned by private corporations however the Bridgeport Housing Authority does manage quite a few locations. The main ones are at the foot of Palisade Ave, they are called Fireside Apts. Since the mayor and the council appoint the housing commissioners, the fault is clear. Instead of worrying about chickens the mayor should be thinking about the seniors and get the non-seniors out of these complexes.