Branford Police arrested three teenagers just after 4:30 p.m. Friday after they received a complaint from a group of runners reporting that passengers in passing motor vehicle had fired some type of plastic pellets at them from a weapon similar to a B-B gun.

Sergeant David Galdenzi, who supervised the investigation, said that two runners approached Officer Michael Amarante at the intersection of East Main and North Main streets and reported they had just been shot at.

"They provided officer Amarante with a very good description of the offending vehicle and its occupants and he was able to locate and stop the vehicle about a mile away," Galdenzi said. "Amarante located numerous plastic pellet and paintball guns along with ammunition in the vehicle as well." (see picture above.)

Police determined that Andre Lefrancois, 19, of 18 Cecilia Drive, East Haven was operating the vehicle along with Eric Desruisseaux, 17, of 297 Twin Lakes Road, North Branford, who was identified as the person shooting, and Brandon Caprio, 18, of 165 North Atwater Street, East Haven who was a passenger.

Desruisseaux was charged with breach of peace, weapon in a motor vehicle, carrying a dangerous weapon, two counts of second degree assault and two counts of second degree reckless endangerment.

Lefrancois and Caprio were charged with breach of peace, weapon in a motor vehicle, two counts of second degree conspiracy to commit assault and two counts of second degree conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment.

All three are being held on a $5,000 bond.

Galdenzi added that Lefrancois is a suspect in a similar incident earlier in the week and further arrests are pending in that investigation.

Branford Police Department Press Release