A 19-year-old Hartford resident, Calcius Hales Jr., was shot and killed on the afternoon of Monday, February 23, 2026. Officers responding to reports of shots fired found Hales unresponsive in a back lot on Barbour Street at about 3:20 p.m. He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions have opened a homicide investigation; no suspects have been publicly identified and no arrests have been announced.

Known as CJ, Hales was a student at Achievement First Hartford High School, where he kept a high GPA and played on the basketball team. Family and friends remembered him for quiet determination, kindness, and compassion. His death came amid several unrelated shootings in Hartford over a short period, adding to local concerns about gun violence.

If anyone saw the shooting on Barbour Street or has information that could help investigators, please come forward.