Branford Business Owner Allegedly Chases Children Donning Bulletproof Vest and Helmet

On Saturday, Aug. 18, New Haven Police Officer Joshua Smereczynsky responded to a Lilac Street home in New Haven on the report of an “Asian man, clad in a bulletproof vest and helmet was reported to have chased some children onto a porch,” the department’s press release stated. The man, a New Haven resident, was later found to be the owner of the Branford-based business, Beijing Acupuncture at 250 West Main St.

The female who reported the incident to police said she saw the kids run in to the home. “One of the kids said they saw an Asian man, wearing the vest and helmet,” the report detailed. “He walked briskly toward them while reaching into his waistband as if he was grabbing a gun,” she said to police.

Following that incident, later in the day, the witness told police “the same man had pulled up in his car, stared at her and ran his finger across his throat before driving off.”

The New Haven Police reported, another witness also saw a similarly clad man who yelled "You point a gun at me, I'm going to shoot you". The report stated that the witness said he appeared to be yelling at no one in particular.

Through coordination with Yale University Police, officers were able to determine the suspect to be Shunyu Li, 43, of Lilac Street New Haven. He owns the Branford-based business Beijing Acupuncture at 250 West Main St., where police later found a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun.

Police arrested Li at his home on Lilac Street that evening. He was charged with second-degree threatening and breach of peace. “Lying on the back seat of his Toyota Prius was a Mossberg 715T .22 caliber long rifle and 1,000 rounds of .22 ammunition. There was a loaded Norinco model 213 9X19mm handgun in the car's rear hatchback as well,” the report stated.

Li told police he had been wearing the bulletproof vest for one week after people in the neighborhood had pointed guns at him. “The vest, helmet, guns and ammunition were confiscated for safe-keeping. Li was not charged for weapons crimes.”