Three young men facing charges in connection with the fatal shooting of 17-year-old New London High School student Ronde Ford were with him in a vehicle prior to the shooting on the evening of Feb. 17, according to court documents.

Arrest warrant affidavits in the case were made public Monday following arraignments in New London Superior Court of 20-year-old Mack Mann IV and 25-year-old Justice Rodriguez.

According to the warrants, security camera footage shows 20-year-old Franc Gjergjaj exiting the driver's seat of a black SUV parked in the area of 19 Grand St., and Mann pointing what appears to be a firearm towards Gjergjaj from a window on the left side of the vehicle.

The video shows Ford approaching and striking Gjergjaj with an object appearing to be a firearm "numerous times," and Gjergjaj falling into the vehicle, according to the warrants. There was a struggle inside and outside the vehicle, and Gjergjaj was struck several times and fell to the ground and continued to be struck. As Gjergjaj got up, the object held by Ford fell to the ground, and Mann and Rodriguez exited the vehicle and left.

Gjergjaj is seen holding a firearm and pointing the firearm down toward where the victim is believed to be lying on the road, and a flash is visible before Gjergjaj gets into the vehicle and leaves, according to the warrants.

Mann, of 262 Broad St., Apt. 1, New London, is facing charges of 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 a protective order and carrying a gun without a permit, according to his warrant.

Rodriguez, of 69 Rosemary St., Apt. 1, New London, is facing charges of first-degree criminal attempt at robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, first-degree conspiracy to commit assault and first-degree accessory to assault, according to his warrant.

Mann and Rodriguez were arraigned Monday at the Broad Street courthouse in New London.

Judge Shari Murphy ordered Mann held on a $200,000 cash surety bond and Rodriguez held on a $150,000 cash surety bond and transferred their cases to Part A, where serious charges are heard, for Sept. 15. Both were ordered to have no contact with Gjergjaj, of 301 Chesterfield Road, East Lyme.

Gjergjaj is facing charges of carrying a pistol without a permit, having weapons in a vehicle, tampering with physical evidence and interfering with an officer. He posted a $35,000 bond following his arrest on Sunday, New London police said, and is scheduled to appear Oct. 12 at the Broad Street courthouse.

During Monday's arraignment, attorney Matthew Berger requested that Mann and Rodriguez be released on a promise to appear in court, saying, in part, that neither had made an effort to leave during the investigation and they do not pose a flight risk. 

Berger said Mann is in a New London adult education program and is a caretaker for his mother. Rodriguez, who attended New London High School, Fitch High School and Norwich Free Academy, has a background in the food services industry.  

During the at times emotional arraignment, a young woman holding a baby called to Mann that she loves him, and another person told him to "keep your head up."

The warrants contain conflicting versions of the incident and events leading up to the night of Feb. 17. At one point, Mann told police that Rodriguez had wanted to set up a robbery and wanted Mann and Ford to do it and said Gjergjaj had a "couple ounces of weed and money on him," though Mann "thought it was a bad idea to do the robbery," according to the warrants.

Mann told police that while driving around in Gjergjaj's vehicle, Mann, Rodriguez and Ford were planning the robbery on Snapchat to try to get marijuana from Gjergjaj, according to the warrants.

Gjergjaj told police he drove to New London in his black Audi SUV to hang out with Rodriguez and "they drove around, picked up food and smoked marijuana." He said Rodriguez asked if they wanted to get liquor and Gjergjaj agreed and two friends of Rodriguez's friends came along.

According to the warrants, Gjergjaj said he was driving to what he thought was the liquor store when Mann told him to stop so Mann could get money from his house. When Gjergjaj parked the vehicle and started to get out of the car, he said Mann put his hand on Gjergjaj's shoulder and Gjergjaj observed Mann holding a gun and heard him saying "something like give me your keys and/or the car." Gjergjaj said he pushed the gun away.

He said at one point when Ford was striking him with a gun, Ford dropped the gun, according to the warrants. Gjergjaj said Ford was "unarmed, backing up, and facing him" and Gjergjaj "did not know how many times he fired the gun as it happened fast." Gjergjaj said "he was fearful for his life."

The warrants note that numerous images of firearms and accessories were located within the image depository of Gjergjaj's cell phone.

A review of Judicial Branch records did not indicate Gjergjaj had a criminal background.

According to Rodriguez's account in the warrants, Rodriguez and Gjergjaj were driving around and picked up Ford and his friend. Rodriguez told police that when they were parked on Grand Street, "an argument ensued." He said there was "a tussle" and he didn't know what it was about and tried to break it up.

Mann has multiple cases pending in New London Superior Court.

In 2019, he was arrested in Waterford and charged with inciting a riot in the second-degree, risk of injury to a child, unlawful assembly and second-degree breach of peace. He was also charged with creating a public disturbance in Groton last November, according to court records.

Mann was arrested in New London in April 2020 and charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, according to court records. He was charged again in New London with the sale of a hallucinogenic substance, possession of a controlled substance and most recently charged in the city with second-degree breach of peace last August.

In April, he was charged in Norwich with violation of probation, disorderly conduct and first-degree failure to appear in court, court records show.

Rodriguez has at least 11 cases pending in criminal court in New London, Norwich and Hartford. He faces charges ranging from carrying a deadly weapon, violation of parole and multiple counts of breach of peace, according to court records.

In June 2020 he was arrested by New London police and charged with second-degree breach of peace, third-degree criminal mischief and carrying a dangerous weapon. In September 2020, he was arrested in Norwich and charged with disorderly conduct, violation of a protective order, interfering with an officer and third-degree criminal mischief.

In February, he was charged by New London police with second-degree breach of peace and third-degree criminal mischief.

In 2018, he was convicted of carrying a pistol without a permit and violating his probation, stemming from an incident in New London in March 2017. He was sentenced to three years in jail, all suspended, with two years' probation, according to court records.

Day Staff Writer Taylor Hartz contributed to this report.