Crime & Safety

[Updated, 7:20 p.m. Wednesday] South Windsor Police: Assault Does Not Appear to Be Random Act

Incident was reported around 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, according to police.

[Updated Wednesday, 7:20 p.m.] Chief of Police Matthew Reed has said that Tuesday's assault at a local automotive shop in South Windsor that left two men seriously injured does not appear to be a random act.

"The building where the attack occurred houses several different businesses, most of which were unoccupied at the time of the incident," Reed said in a message to South Windsor Patch.

Reed went on to say that police are continuing to investigate the matter. A Facebook page has been set up and comments on that page have identified at least one alleged assailant.

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"Police are aware of a Facebook page that has been posted regarding the assaults and are investigating the information on that page," Reed said.

[Updated Wednesday, 4:45 p.m.] This in from the South Windsor Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Scott Custer:

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"We are continuing to investigate the assault that occurred last night at 51 Edwin Road. Our investigators continue to follow up on information, but we encourage anyone who was in the area of 51 Edwin Rd. Tuesday night between 8:30 and 9:20 p.m. to contact us at 860-644-2551."

[Updated Wednesday, 1:50 p.m.] Police have released the names of the two men who were assaulted last night at Forced Induction Motorsports at 51 Edwin Rd.

Business owner Robert Lareau, 28, of Enfield, and Ryan Kelleher, 21, of Windsor, are still receiving treatment at Hartford Hospital, according to South Windsor police spokesman Sgt. Scott Custer.

Lareau is in the intensive care unit, Custer said. Kelleher was injured, but was conscious and assisted police in their investigation, according to Custer.

South Windsor police received assistance in evidence collection from the Connecticut State Police, and officials "are in the process of reviewing that evidence now," Custer said.

Forced Induction Motorsports is located in a building in a South Windsor commercial zone with other industrial-type businesses. According to its Web site, FIM is an automobile repair and upgrading business.

[Updated, Wednesday, 10:50 a.m.] South Windsor police spokesman Sgt. Scott Custer said that Edwin Road has re-opened and that state and local police have left the scene of the attack that left two men with significant head injuries.

[Original Story] Two men were assaulted and sustained "significant" head injuries in an incident that took place at 51 Edwin Rd. in South Windsor Tuesday evening.

The two victims were beaten by one or more assailants at Forced Induction Motorsports, South Windsor Chief of Police Matthew Reed said. The two victims were transported to Hartford Hospital, where their conditions are not yet known, Reed said.

One of the two victims called in the incident around 9:20 p.m., according to Reed. The other victim was not responsive when police arrived, said Reed.

Edwin Road was still shut down at the intersection of Route 5 as of midnight, according to Reed, as South Windsor detectives and members of the state police major crimes squad were at the scene collecting evidence.

The assailant is still at large, Reed said. But one of the two victims is assisting police in hopes of identifying the assailant, Reed said.

It is not known what prompted the beatings, according to Reed.

This is a developing story. Check back with South Windsor Patch for further information as it becomes available.


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