Police nab ‘armed and dangerous’ CT man wanted in connection with domestic violence incident

Police have arrested an armed and dangerous man who was wanted after fleeing from a Norwich home where he allegedly pistol-whipped a woman in the head Friday night.

Brandon McNeal, 40, was taken into custody about 9:30 a.m. Saturday after police asked the public for help locating him, warning that he was armed and dangerous, according to the Norwich Police Department.

About 10:30 p.m. Friday, officers were called to a home in Norwich for a report of an assault with a firearm and found a woman suffering from serious injuries to her face, police said.

The woman told police that McNeal used a handgun to pistol whip her in the face and head during a domestic violence incidence. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and her condition was stabilized, according to police.

McNeal fled the home with the firearm before officers arrived and was not immediately found, despite police and K-9 search efforts. He was located at about 9:30 a.m. walking near 46 Boswell Ave., police said.

McNeal was taken into custody and charged with cruelty to persons, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree criminal attempted assault, criminal possession of a firearm, theft of a firearm, risk of injury to a minor, carrying a pistol without a permit, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, according to police.

According to police, McNeal was also wanted on other unrelated charges of violation of probation with a $1 million bond.

McNeal was being held in lieu of a $1 million bond for the charges connected to the assault, and another $1 million bond for the prior violation of probation, police said Saturday.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in court in Norwich on Oct. 16, according to police.

Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Thomas Lawton at 860-886-5561 ext. 3199 or tlawton@cityofnorwich.org, or use the department’s anonymous tip line at 860-886-5561.