Stony Creek Shooter Applies for Accelerated Rehabilitation

Durbin Hunter, one of three Stamford residents arrested on June 25 and charged with firing bullets from a residence in the Thimble Islands that , has applied for accelerated rehabilitation.

Hunter, 35, of 221 Main Street, Stamford, appeared in New Haven Superior Court today before Judge William Holden and entered an application for accelerated rehabilitation (AR).

Judge Holden continued the case until Sept. 7 to determine if Hunter is eligible for AR, which would wipe his record clean as long as he completes conditions of the program and does not commit other offenses within a one-year period.

Judge Holden also continued the case for Hunter’s co-defendant, Michael Chioffe, 30, whose address is the same as Hunter’s, according to Branford police reports. Chioffe, who did not appear in court today, was scheduled to appear next on Aug. 10.

After his court appearance today, Hunter declined to comment on his AR application.

Police said on June 25 they received reports of bullets hitting houses along Prospect Road in the Stony Creek section of Branford.

One bullet pierced a window and lodged in the wall of a room that people were sitting in, and other bullets hit the exterior wall of an adjacent house near where children were playing outside.

Police determined the trajectory of the bullets indicated they had been fired from one of the Thimble Island. Officers went to the island and learned that Hunter, Chioffe and Ambrosecchio had been shooting a .22 rifle at targets in the water. Some of the bullets overshot the target and reached land.

Hunter is the owner of the house on the island.

The three Stamford residents have been charged with reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge of a firearm and criminal mischief in the third degree.