Middletown police release bodycam video of man attacking officer with hammer

MIDDLETOWN, CT – Middletown police released bodycam video of a man attacking one of its officers with a hammer last weekend.

The incident took place on August 12 shortly after 6:30am that morning. Middletown police received a complaint about noise and breaking glass at 195 Liberty Street, officials said.

Body camera video released late Tuesday afternoon shows 52-year-old Winston Tate attacking Detective Karli Travis with a hammer.

Police said Tate hit Travis four times with the hammer.

While on the ground, Travis shot Tate several times. Then he was arrested.

Tate appeared in court on Tuesday.

Police were called to Tate’s home five times in the last month for disturbances.

Police said Tate served jail time for attacking police officers in 2017 and 2020. He served one year for the 2017 incident and was on probation for the 2020 attack when he allegedly assaulted Travis.

Tate was released from the hospital on Monday and was charged with criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault, second-degree assault, assault on public safety personnel, and interfering with police.

He was held on a $500,000 bond.

Travis was taken to Middlesex Hospital for for treatment and has since been released.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.