Guilford Police have arrested a man after receiving a report that someone was shooting a firearm from a vehicle in the area of the town docks.

Police responded to a 911 call on Oct. 16 at 11:403 p.m. regarding someone shooting a firearm from a vehicle and fleeing the scene northbound on Whitfield Street from the area of the town docks. As officers responded to the area, they were stopped by an additional complainant who reported the same information. Officers and detectives quickly began investigating and were able to identify a person of interest with witness statements and surveillance footage.

Based on the investigation, it was determined that Russell Thomas Ballard, 20, of Guilford, had displayed a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, pointed the loaded gun at victims in another vehicle, one of which was a juvenile, and unlawfully discharged the weapon prior to driving off at a high rate of speed.

Guilford Police detectives worked in conjunction with the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office and New Haven Adult Probation to obtain an arrest warrant for Ballard and a search warrant for his vehicle and residence in Guilford. On Oct. 18, detectives arrested Ballard when he arrived for his appointment at New Haven Adult Probation. Guilford Police and Connecticut State Police searched Ballard, his vehicle, and his home in Guilford, locating the described weapon with a loaded extended magazine used in the original incident. They also located additional drugs, drug paraphernalia, an additional fully loaded extended magazine with 30-plus rounds, additional ammunition, and a machine gun conversion device, also known as a Glock switch, which if installed, would make the handgun fully automatic.

Ballard was charged on the original warrant with criminal possession of a firearm, weapons in a motor vehicle, unlawful discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment in the first degree, threatening in the first degree, and breach of peace in the second degree. Ballard was held on a court-set $500,000 bond and was arraigned on Oct. 21 at the New Haven Court.

After the search warrants were served, Ballard was additionally charged with criminal possession of a firearm/defense weapon, possession with the intent to sell hallucinogens, possession of a controlled substance second offense, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of illegal possession of a large capacity magazine, and negligent storage of a firearm. Ballard was held on a $250,000 bond and was arraigned on Oct. 21 at the New Haven Court.

We would like to thank the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, New Haven Adult Probation, and the Connecticut State Police for their assistance in this investigation. There is no place for gun crime in Guilford, and we will always work diligently to keep the Guilford Community safe from gun violence. If you have information you would like to report regarding this case or others, you can contact the Guilford Police Department at 203-453-8061 or the anonymous tip line at 203-453-8240.