WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Man armed with knife shot by police (Meriden-WTNH) _ A suspect was shot and killed my police in Meriden Monday after he reportedly lunged at officers with a knife. Police approached a van blocking traffic at about 11:15 am. The man inside got out of the vehicle and allegedly thrust a knife at police. News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports. Police say they came upon 36-year-old Antonio Antolini near the intersection of Lewis Ave and West Main street. The officers were responding to an alarm at a house nearby when they heard Antolini arguing loudly with his girlfriend. The two were sitting in a white van blocking traffic when police went over to investigate. That's when police say Antolini jumped out of the van. Alice Cizanckas, Meriden: "He ran about 15 feet. Police started chasing him. He turned on them with a knife, and the female officer he lunged at - she jumped back - He ran again, turned again, and lunged at her again with the knife, and the whole time they were yelling for him to stop. He wouldn't stop." The female officer never pulled out her weapon, even though she was lunged at about three times. A male officer was lunged at after her, and he is the one who fired at Antolini twice in the chest. Sgt. Lenny Caponigro, Meriden Police Dept. "No one wants to shoot someone. Unfortunately it happens. In this situation the officer felt that that was their way out of it - to shoot someone - and they did." Meriden police are investigating the shooting along with Connecticut state police and the state's attorney's office. While Cizanckas believes the shooting was justified, others in town are not happy with police action. Yvette Ramos, Meriden: "They have mace. They have those little stick things they could hit. The dog. I'd rather be bitten by a dog than be killed. I have a knife in my hand, throw the dogs at me, not no bullet." Police are not releasing the names of the officers involved at this time. The officer who fired the fatal shots is at least a three year veteran of the department. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Man armed with knife shot by police
(Meriden-WTNH) _ A suspect was shot and killed my police in Meriden Monday after he reportedly lunged at officers with a knife. Police approached a van blocking traffic at about 11:15 am. The man inside got out of the vehicle and allegedly thrust a knife at police.
News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports.

Police say they came upon 36-year-old Antonio Antolini near the intersection of Lewis Ave and West Main street. The officers were responding to an alarm at a house nearby when they heard Antolini arguing loudly with his girlfriend.

The two were sitting in a white van blocking traffic when police went over to investigate. That's when police say Antolini jumped out of the van.

Alice Cizanckas, Meriden: "He ran about 15 feet. Police started chasing him. He turned on them with a knife, and the female officer he lunged at - she jumped back - He ran again, turned again, and lunged at her again with the knife, and the whole time they were yelling for him to stop. He wouldn't stop."

The female officer never pulled out her weapon, even though she was lunged at about three times. A male officer was lunged at after her, and he is the one who fired at Antolini twice in the chest.

Sgt. Lenny Caponigro, Meriden Police Dept. "No one wants to shoot someone. Unfortunately it happens. In this situation the officer felt that that was their way out of it - to shoot someone - and they did."

Meriden police are investigating the shooting along with Connecticut state police and the state's attorney's office.

While Cizanckas believes the shooting was justified, others in town are not happy with police action.

Yvette Ramos, Meriden: "They have mace. They have those little stick things they could hit. The dog. I'd rather be bitten by a dog than be killed. I have a knife in my hand, throw the dogs at me, not no bullet."

Police are not releasing the names of the officers involved at this time. The officer who fired the fatal shots is at least a three year veteran of the department.

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