BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 4-year-old girl was hospitalized with critical injuries after a Bridgeport police cruiser struck her Wednesday night while the officer driving was responding to a call, city officials said.
The crash happened at about 9:36 p.m. on Hanover Street. The child lives with her family on the same street and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital, where she was last listed in critical but stable condition.
The city said the cruiser was heading to a report of a mob attacking a woman at Went Field Park when the collision occurred. Police have not released further details about exactly how the crash happened.
Police were heading to a report of violence at Went Field Park
According to city officials, the officer was responding to a report that a group was attacking a woman at Went Field Park when the police vehicle struck the child. The call was urgent enough to send the cruiser through the area on Wednesday night.
The city has not said whether lights or sirens were in use or how the child came into the cruiser’s path. Those details were not included in the initial public account of the incident.
What is known is that the collision happened on Hanover Street, a residential block where the girl lives with her family. The proximity of the crash to her home added to the severity of the incident for the neighborhood.
Bridgeport Hospital treated the child as investigators gathered evidence
After the crash, the girl was taken to Bridgeport Hospital for emergency care. City officials later said she was in critical but stable condition.
The Bridgeport Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to examine the circumstances of the collision. That unit typically handles serious crashes and helps piece together how they unfolded.
A separate review was also launched by the Southern Fairfield County Traffic Unit, which the city said was conducting an independent investigation. The involvement of both teams signals that investigators are treating the case as a serious crash requiring a detailed review.
Chief Roderick Porter visited the girl in the hospital
Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter visited the 4-year-old at the hospital, according to the city. Porter said he was praying for the child’s full recovery and that the department’s thoughts were with her and her family.
In a statement, Porter also said the department would conduct a fully transparent, independent investigation. City officials did not immediately provide any additional comment about the officer involved or whether the officer was on routine patrol before the call came in.
The chief’s visit came as the family faced a sudden and serious injury to the young girl, who was still being treated after the crash.
Hanover Street residents were left with a late-night emergency
The collision occurred late in the evening in a neighborhood where the child and her family live. The timing, at about 9:36 p.m., means the crash unfolded after dark and likely drew emergency responders to the residential street quickly.
Officials did not say how many vehicles or personnel were involved at the scene beyond the police cruiser and the responding investigative units. They also did not say whether anyone else was hurt.
For neighbors and family members, the immediate focus shifted to the girl’s condition and the police response around the crash site. The city’s public account centered on her injuries and the ongoing investigation rather than any broader explanation.
Police asked the public for information about the crash
Bridgeport police are asking anyone with information about the collision to contact the department’s tips line at 203-576-TIPS. Officials did not say whether they were looking for witnesses, video or other evidence.
The crash remains under investigation by the department’s accident reconstruction team and the Southern Fairfield County Traffic Unit. City officials have not announced any findings or indicated whether disciplinary or administrative steps are being considered.
For now, the central facts remain the girl’s hospitalization, the police cruiser’s role in the collision and the separate reviews now underway. The city has said the child was in critical but stable condition as of its latest update.
