WCSU student receives misdemeanor summons after shooting schoolmate

DANBURY, Conn. – At approximately 5:23p.m. on Oct. 26, Western Connecticut State University Police Department received a call from Andre Burgos, resident assistant at Litchfield Hall, reporting that an unknown party had shot a female with a BB gun in the Student Center cafeteria, located at 181 White Street.

WCSU Police Headquarters.

Sgt. Jeffrey Mould and Lt. Roger Connor were the first officers to arrive at the cafeteria first while another officer checked for a suspect near the main lobby doors of the building.

Upon entering, Mould and Connor visually scanned the cafeteria for any suspicious movements or actions then questioned several people including most of the Sodexho employees to find out if they had seen or heard anything out of the ordinary.

"No one reported seeing anything or hearing anything related to the incident," Mould said. "We then received a radio call that the victim was on her way to the [police department]."

Once Mould and officers arrived at police headquarters, they met and interviewed the victim, Sydney Hardwick, freshman at WCSU. Hardwick told officers that she had been shot in the inner left thigh by what she believed was an AirSoft gun.

WCSU midtown Student Center.

At that point, the only thing that was known of the suspect was the first name of Janzen. The dispatcher performed a name search which revealed a freshman, Newbury Hall resident by the name of Janzen Glahn-Janatka.

With this information, Mould said that he immediately responded to Newbury Hall and located the Resident Director who directed him to Glahn-Janatka’s dorm room.

“Janzen admitted to me that he was the one that fired the BB gun in the cafeteria,” said Mould, who seized the firearm, magazine, and ammunition belonging to Glahn-Janatka.

Mould said that Glahn-Janatka readily admitted to his actions, was very apologetic and cooperative, and stated that the firearm had discharged accidentally in the cafeteria.

WCSU's Newbury Hall.

Glahn-Janatka and Hardwick reported that while sitting at a table in the cafeteria, Glahn-Janatka stated that he had an AirSoft gun and removed it from his backpack so that it could be looked at under the table. Shortly thereafter, the gun discharged and a pellet hit Hardwick in the thigh.

After confronting Glahn-Janatka, Mould went to Litchfield Hall in attempt to find a witness of the incident since Hardwick, who sustained no serious injuries, was reluctant to press charges against Glahn-Janatka. Mould then returned to Newbury Hall and issued a misdemeanor summons to Glahn-Janatka for second-degree breach of peace and for carrying and brandishing a facsimile firearm.

After receiving the misdemeanor summons, a judicial write given to a person that promises they will appear in court, Glahn-Janatka was released from police custody with a set court date for Nov. 4.

Glahn-Janatka’s case remains inconclusive and he is scheduled for a second court date in December.