By Brooke Reilly

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Police are searching for the suspect behind a shooting that took place in Hamden on Friday night leaving five people injured.

At 8:54 p.m. the Hamden Police Department responded to a report of  a “large group/large party” at 937 Choate Ave., where they found approximately 500 people at the gathering. The officers advised the crowd to leave, and everyone, including the homeowner, remained cooperative.

According to a press release from Capt. Ronald Smith of the Hamden Police Department, multiple gunshots were fired into the crowd moments later. Three officers were standing by in the area as several hundred people ran past them “yelling in panic.”

There were four victims found at the scene. Hamden Police, along with the Hamden Fire Department quickly provided medical assistance. The victims were then transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital by American Medical Response. It was later learned that a fifth gunshot victim was also driven to the hospital by a friend. The extent of all five of the victims’ injuries is currently unknown.

The Connecticut State Police Department, North Haven Police Department and Cheshire Police Department all assisted at the scene in clearing out the crowd.

Police put houses in the surrounding area on lockdown as they searched for the suspect and conducted a K-9 track.

Town of Hamden Mayor Curt Leng kept the community updated via Facebook and Twitter throughout the evening.

Hamden Public Safety & our surrounding community partners are going door to door. Neighborhood still shut down and Police are going door to door: please cooperate and allow our men and women to do their jobs and to make sure you are all staying safe.

— Mayor Curt B. Leng (@townofhamden) June 29, 2019

Although the suspect had not been located, the lockdown was lifted at approximately 11 p.m.

The suspect is described as “a light-skinned black male, early 20s, thin build, “pock-marked face,” small amount of hair on his chin, wearing a black hat (backwards), tee shirt and blue jeans.”

The Hamden Police Department is encouraging any guests that attended the party and have video recordings of the shooting and/or of people at the party to contact them. Anyone with information should reach out to the Hamden Police Department Detective Division at 203-230-4000.

Although the shooting did not directly involve Quinnipiac University, the crime scene was located 2.4 miles from both the Mount Carmel and York Hill campuses. The QU Alerts system was utilized to keep the university community updated and aware of the situation.

Members of the Hamden Police Department Detective Division and K-9 Unit are investigating the area in which the shooting occurred in an attempt to find more evidence. As of now five victims have been identified, and detectives are looking to see if there are any more.

The victims include an 18-year-old New Haven woman who suffered from a gunshot wound in the area of her right flank, a 19-year-old Bridgeport woman who suffered from a gunshot wound to her buttocks, a 20-year-old New Haven man who suffered from a gunshot wound to his arm, a 21-year-old Hamden woman who suffered from a gunshot wound to her foot and a 23-year-old New Haven man who suffered from a gunshot wound to his thigh. The severity of their injuries is still unknown.

In a recent press release, Capt. Smith indicated that prior to the shooting, an officer from Hamden Police was sent to a residence on Exeter Rd. in response to a trespassing complaint at approximately 7:20 p.m. The homeowner said that several people were walking in her front lawn.

The officer noticed that there were several vehicles parked in the area, along with “a large party at 937 Choate Ave.” However, “the music was not unreasonably loud.” The officer reported that the homeowner and guests were under control and recommended that homeowner has everyone leave by 10 p.m. He agreed and said he would have the guests leave at 9 p.m.

The suspect has still not been located.

Updated 2:24 p.m. June 29, 2019. This article will be updated as new information is released.