Investigation Reveals Delays After Police Shooting
A man, shot by police, had to wait an extra 10 minutes for an ambulance. This delay is particularly concerning given that a Connecticut police officer who experienced what was described as a “mild anxiety attack” ended up dying in the first ambulance that responded, according to a state investigation.
Dishan Best, a 39-year-old truck driver, was shot in the back on March 31, 2025. This incident occurred while he was fleeing from a Bridgeport police officer, armed with a gun. A report released on Tuesday by the state’s inspector general shed light on the troubling circumstances surrounding the event.
Police arrived after reports of a large fight involving weapons. Body camera footage shows Officer Erin Perrotta approaching an SUV where Best was, seeing him with a bottle of alcohol, a vape pen, and a cell phone. When Perrotta asked Best to exit the vehicle for a patdown, he instead ran away.
As he fled, Best pulled out a 9mm handgun. Officer Yoon Ho, who was pursuing him, ultimately fired and struck Best, leaving him severely injured.
The investigation concluded that the shooting was justified. However, it also highlighted that the first ambulance called at 6:02 p.m. to assist Best was used instead to transport Perrotta, who had been involved in the foot chase. Perrotta declined treatment, stating, “I’m fine, I just had to get out of here.”
Another officer described Perrotta as “visibly hysterical” and covered in blood, which adds a layer of complexity to the response efforts.
Best received medical transport at 6:12 p.m. and reached the hospital 10 minutes later, which meant he arrived 14 minutes after Perrotta. Tragically, he died an hour later from gunshot wounds that had affected his liver and right kidney. The state’s medical examiner declared the shooting justified, as Best had pointed the weapon during his flight.
While the report stops short of confirming that the delays in medical care played a role in Best’s death, his family holds a different view. Tatiana Barrett, Best’s niece, expressed their belief that he might have survived if he had made it to the hospital sooner. “It’s heartbreaking to hear all these details,” she commented. “We wanted justice… We feel he was murdered.”
Furthermore, the family’s attorney, Darnell Crosland, disputes the narrative that Best was holding a gun at the time of the shooting, asserting he was actually holding a vape pen. However, Superintendent Elliott Prescott stated that body camera footage clearly shows Best with a handgun.
After the shots were fired, Best was seen on video saying, “I got shot.” Ho responded, “You pointed a gun at me,” to which Best denied, saying, “No, I didn’t.” Then, Ho acknowledged, “Oh, yeah.” Prescott confirmed a handgun was found near Best at the scene.
Currently, Perrotta is on leave for unrelated issues, according to Bridgeport Police Department spokesperson Shauna White. The police department has been contacted for further comments.
