A suspect wanted in the shooting death of a 32-year-old man outside of a Waterbury restaurant turned himself in at Waterbury Police Department headquarters on Tuesday.
Joseph Whitaker, 32, of Waterbury was arrested in connection to the murder of Lechard Santos of Waterbury outside of Bertie’s West Indian Restaurant on North Main Street after midnight on Aug. 18.
Whitaker was charged with murder, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal use of a weapon, illegal discharge of a firearm and first-degree reckless endangerment.
Police located Santos lying in a parking lot outside of the restaurant with a gunshot wound. He was transported to Saint Mary’s Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Initial investigations by police into the shooting indicated that an altercation occurred outside of the restaurant which resulted in Santos being shot.
Whitaker was held on a $2 million bond pending his arraignment on Tuesday.
