An investigation conducted by the Connecticut Office of Inspector General found that a Hartford police officer was justified when she opened fire on a man who was armed with a handgun and struggling with another officer after refusing to exit a vehicle during an incident last November.

The findings of the investigation, released Thursday by Inspector General Eliot Prescott, concluded that Officer Gabrielle Arruda acted objectively reasonable when she fired two rounds at Alexander Garay — who was 48 years old and survived the shooting — on Nov. 30, 2024.

Prescott said he found that Arruda “honestly and sincerely” believed she faced the threat of death as Garay brandished a firearm inside a Chevrolet Equinox while he struggled with Officer Elvis Martinez.

“She saw the firearm inside

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