Fairfield Police UPDATE:
FAIRFIELD, CT – On April 16, 2024, at approximately 10:52 PM, the Fairfield Police Department
responded to a report of a suspicious individual at Hemlock Hardware, located at 1860 Post Road.
Officers arrived on the scene to find a male subject, later identified as Orlando Roper (DOB: 06/21/1988)
of New York, NY, behaving erratically.
Roper was observed behind his vehicle parked near an adjacent business, brandishing an axe. Despite
officers’ attempts to engage him peacefully, Roper made statements indicating his desire for Officers to
use deadly force in order to gain compliance.
Efforts to de-escalate the situation were made, but Roper fled on foot while still wielding the axe. Officers
engaged Roper in a foot pursuit across railroad tracks and eventually Interstate 95. Despite the
deployment of less-lethal measures, Roper persisted in his flight until he was eventually surrounded by
officers, dropping the axe without further resistance.
Orlando Roper was subsequently arrested and charged with Breach of Peace 2nd Degree (53a-181) and
Interfering with Officers (53a-167a).
“We are reminded of the inherent dangers and uncertainties our officers confront daily. However, we are
fortunate to have a team of dedicated professionals trained in employing less-lethal measures and de-
escalation tactics. Their swift and skillful actions resulted in the successful resolution of a situation that
could have tragically unfolded in a vastly different manner. We commend our officers for their
unwavering commitment to preserving life and ensuring the safety of our community.”
The Fairfield Police Department further extends its gratitude to our partner agencies, including the
Connecticut State Police and Westport Police Department, for their assistance.
2024-04-16@10:57pm–#Fairfield CT– Police have a perimeter set up on the Mill Plain Road area for a man with an ax. A business owner observed on his security cameras of man going behind the business. Police approached the man who was carrying an ax saying they’d have to shoot him. The pursuit went from the Post Road over the train tracks onto Mill Plain Road into the cemetery, then onto I-95, and now back on Mill Plain Road where they have him in custody. The trains and I-95 were both halted for a short time.
