New London — Police arrested three young men on warrants Sunday in the February fatal shooting of a 17-year-old New London High School student that shook the community.

Franc Gjergjaj, 20, of 301 Chesterfield Road, East Lyme, was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, having weapons in a vehicle, tampering with physical evidence and interfering with an officer, police said in a news release. He posted a $35,000 bond and is scheduled to appear Oct. 12 at the G.A. 10 court in New London.

Mack Mann IV, 20, of 262 Broad St., Apt. 1, New London, was charged with first-degree criminal attempt at robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit assault, first-degree accessory to assault, tampering with evidence, violation of protective order and carrying a gun without permit. The court set a $160,000 cash-surety bond.

Justice Rodriguez, 25, of 69 Rosemary St., Apt. 1, New London, was charged with first-degree criminal attempt at robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit assault and first-degree accessory to assault. The court set a $150,000 cash-surety bond.

Mann and Rodriguez are scheduled to appear Monday in the G.A. 10 court.

New London police confirmed on Sunday the arrests were connected to the fatal shooting of Ronde Ford. When asked about the charges, Chief Brian Wright said officers used only the charges for which they had probable cause. No further arrests in the case are expected at this time, he said.

On the evening of Feb. 17, officers responded to the area of Grand and Elm streets for a report of shots fired with a person down in the roadway.

They found Ford, a former New London High School football player and aspiring rapper, who was with a group celebrating the birthday of one of his friends. He had been struck multiple times and was declared dead by paramedics.

City police said at the time the incident did not appear to be a random act. They put out a bulletin to other area departments that they were looking for a 2016 Audi registered to an East Lyme address that may have been involved.

Ford was the son of James and Jamie Ford, who were at their home on Prest Street the night of the shooting, when they said they heard police and ambulance sirens in the area. Minutes later, a young kid from the neighborhood arrived at the Ford home to announce, "Rondo got shot." James Ford said he and his wife joined police to identify their dead son, who was still lying where he had been shot.

Mayor Michael Passero and city police leaders held a news conference shortly afterward to address the shooting. Wright, then a captain in the police department, said at the time that at least one weapon and vehicle were involved, and another person who was involved may have been injured.

"In this community an incident like this does not go without a thorough review," Passero said at that time. "We will completely deconstruct everything that led up to this terrible tragedy."

'Senseless'

Taking place just a little over 10 years after the random murder of 25-year-old Matthew Chew in 2010 by a group of teens, Ford's death shook the city. Residents gathered to discuss the shooting, which several described as "senseless."

Family members said Ford was a good kid despite some past brushes with the law and what his father called a "rapper persona." James Ford described his son as talented, athletic, smart and strong-willed. The strong-willed part is something that got him into trouble on occasion, he said. His son, a senior at the high school, was not physically attending classes but did participate in remote learning activities. He said his son was also a rapper who had taken on an online persona, which he said was sometimes taken the wrong way by others.

He said in February that he did not know why the shooting occurred.

On Sunday, he said it was not a good day and declined to further comment on the arrests.

Day Staff Writers Johana Vazquez, Taylor Hartz and Greg Smith contributed to this report.