HARTFORD -
A 21-year-old man from North Stonington who robbed a McDonald's restaurant on Flatbush Avenue before shooting himself in the woods near the Trinity College campus has been identified as Kyle Smith.
Smith had told family members he was traveling to Hartford to commit a robbery, then take his own life, according to law enforcement officials.
A description of the man and his vehicle was broadcast to patrol officers. About 6:10 p.m. a Hartford officer found the man's Toyota pickup truck in front of 19 Bonner St. The robbery was reported about 5:30 p.m.
Hartford police and a state police dog team tried to track the man and the dog led officers toward the Trinity College campus. Trinity officials put the campus on lockdown about 6:45 p.m.
Hartford officers and state troopers pressed their search and with the assistance of a state Capitol police officer using a thermal imaging camera spotted the suspect lying in woods near Summit and Bonner streets.
As a police dog approached the man, a gunshot rang out and the officers backed off and took cover.When police officers reached the man about 9:45 p.m. they found that he was dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Trinity lifted its lockdown about 10 p.m. In an e-mail to students, staff and faculty, Trinity Dean of Students Frederick Alford wrote that the man took his life in an area just off campus.
Some Trinity students were stuck in academic buildings and classrooms during the lockdown.
Smith had told family members he was traveling to Hartford to commit a robbery, then take his own life, according to law enforcement officials.
A description of the man and his vehicle was broadcast to patrol officers. About 6:10 p.m. a Hartford officer found the man's Toyota pickup truck in front of 19 Bonner St. The robbery was reported about 5:30 p.m.
Hartford police and a state police dog team tried to track the man and the dog led officers toward the Trinity College campus. Trinity officials put the campus on lockdown about 6:45 p.m.
Hartford officers and state troopers pressed their search and with the assistance of a state Capitol police officer using a thermal imaging camera spotted the suspect lying in woods near Summit and Bonner streets.
As a police dog approached the man, a gunshot rang out and the officers backed off and took cover.When police officers reached the man about 9:45 p.m. they found that he was dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Trinity lifted its lockdown about 10 p.m. In an e-mail to students, staff and faculty, Trinity Dean of Students Frederick Alford wrote that the man took his life in an area just off campus.
Some Trinity students were stuck in academic buildings and classrooms during the lockdown.
