On June 22, 2026, a dispute between two groups of men who knew each other erupted into gunfire at the Fort Hale Garden Condominiums on Woodward Avenue in New Haven. Twenty-year-old Jayden Martinez of Ansonia was among those shot; he was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital and later died of his injuries. Eighteen-year-old Malakai Caraballo of New Haven was fatally wounded and transported to Smilow Cancer Hospital, where he also died. A 24-year-old man from Waterbury suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Police cordoned off the scene, collected ballistic evidence from Woodward Avenue, and sent crucial items to the state lab. Investigators say the shooting appears to have been the culmination of a pre-existing conflict between the groups rather than a random attack. As of early July 2026, authorities reported notable progress and cited a possible motive but had not named suspects or announced arrests.

Anyone who witnessed the June 22 shooting or has information about the altercation is asked to contact the New Haven Police Department to help the families of Jayden Martinez and Malakai Caraballo.