Lockdown In Search For Beating Suspect
Hartford Courant, United States - 2 hours ago
... Central Police Emergency Services Team sped to Barbourtown Road and fanned out in the snow-covered fields and woods outside the Jehovah's Witnesses church at ...
Lockdown In Search For Beating Suspect
January 31, 2006
By JESSE LEAVENWORTH , Courant Staff Writer
| CANTON -- Schools were locked down and several businesses were closed Monday as dozens of police officers searched the town for a possibly armed man accused of severely beating his wife. Joseph Ambrose, 55, was charged by warrant with attempted murder, first-degree assault and first-degree kidnapping. Ambrose was still at large late Monday night. Police received a call about 2 a.m. Monday that a woman was being treated at Hartford Hospital for injuries she sustained in a beating. Canton Deputy Police Chief Donald Hull said the woman, who he said was in stable condition Monday night, told investigators the assault happened in her home. |
Officers went to the house at 93 Old Canton Road that Joseph and Robin Ambrose rent and found two uninjured children. Police thought Joseph Ambrose might still be in the house, but later determined he had fled, Hull said.
Police found several rifles at the house, but they did not know if Ambrose took a gun with him, Hull said. When school officials learned that Ambrose was not found in his home, all three public school buildings were locked down as a precaution, School Superintendent Anthony Serio said. All students were sent home by late Monday afternoon, Serio said.
Police searched the area around the couple's yellow, wood-frame home and the nearby Canton Village shopping center off Route 44, stringing yellow tape and closing commerce in part of the plaza as officers in full tactical gear walked carefully around buildings and lifted trash receptacle lids.
After finding nothing in that area, local police and members of the North Central Police Emergency Services Team sped to Barbourtown Road and fanned out in the snow-covered fields and woods outside the Jehovah's Witnesses church at 18 Barbourtown Road. The nearby Cherry Brook Primary School was kept locked while officers from the regional SWAT team combed the area.
Town officers and members of the state police major crime squad were still at the scene of the assault about 9 p.m. Hull said the search had wound down a bit, but police would continue their efforts overnight.
Police said Ambrose is a member of the local Jehovah's Witnesses congregation. A statement from the Canton congregation said church members "are cooperating fully with the investigation and will continue to do so."
The couple was going through a divorce, Hull said, but police did not know what prompted the assault. After beating his wife, police said, Joseph Ambrose drove her to Hartford and dropped her off near Hartford Hospital. All family vehicles were at the Barbourtown Road home when police arrived, Hull said, but police did not know how Ambrose might be traveling.
Police called Ambrose after finding his cellphone number, but their conversations with him were "very limited," Hull said. Ambrose would not reveal his location and said nothing substantial about what had happened or his plans, Hull said. In his last conversation with police, Ambrose said his cellphone was dying and officers did not hear from him after that.
Two of the couple's four children were home during the assault, another was sleeping at a friend's house, and the fourth is living out of state, Hull said. Officers took the children in Canton to the local police station and they were placed in the custody of the state Department of Children and Families.
The Ambroses rent their Albany Turnpike house from Gary Barnes, who also owns the business next door, Canton Auto Supply. Barnes described the couple, who have lived in the house for about six years, as the best tenants he's ever had, always polite and on time with rent payments.
"It's a shock, to be honest with you," Barnes said. "You never would've expected this from this family."
Joseph Ambrose is a self-employed carpenter who had developed a reputation for doing good remodeling work, Barnes said.
"If I'd needed some work done on my house, I would've hired him in a second," Barnes said. "He's honest and hardworking."
Joseph Ambrose was quoted in a story in The Courant in 1996 about the mission of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Those who join the church, the story said, must be committed to the faith."Your conduct has to be right in harmony with the Scriptures," Ambrose said in the story. "Your morals have to be right in line."
The church's statement, released through spokesman Daniel Ferris, said the church views the situation "as a serious matter, not to be taken lightly. This behavior is out of the norm for true Christians and not to be condoned."
Police ask anyone who may know where Ambrose is located to call them at 860-693-0221 (Give them a heads up!)
Courant Staff Writer Mark Spencer contributed to this story.
Click above link to add your comments [email protected] Readers Rep [email protected] Health editor includes mental health (already has "big" news) [email protected] Religion editor (already has "big news") http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/106436/1.ashx related thread on Jehovah's Witnesses increased suicide-Danny Haszard Bangor Maine