Connecticut Cop Under Review After Arriving At A Home Where The Son Was Beating His Father To Death With A Bat And Talking Too Much Before Finally Shooting 20 Shots, Hitting With Only 2

MERIDEN, Conn. — A Connecticut police officer is under review after opening fire to stop a savage domestic assault in which a son allegedly beat his own father to death with a baseball bat, an incident captured on disturbing bodycam video that has sparked questions about use of force and officer training.

According to a preliminary report from the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General, Meriden Police Officer Anthony Offiaeli was the first to respond to multiple 911 calls reporting a domestic violence incident on Sagamore Road around 10 a.m. on July 19. What he encountered was horrifying: 38-year-old Robert Lee Jenkins III was reportedly bludgeoning his 69-year-old father, Robert Jenkins Jr., in the head with a baseball bat on the front lawn.

Bodycam footage released Tuesday shows Offiaeli immediately drawing his service weapon and shouting commands for Jenkins III to drop the bat, issuing the order at least four times. Jenkins III allegedly ignored the commands and continued the merciless attack on his motionless father.

Offiaeli then discharged his firearm multiple times, nearly 20 rounds in total from his Glock 17, in an effort to stop the deadly assault. Jenkins III was struck several times, dropped the bat, and fell to the ground. He was transported to Hartford Hospital, where he later died. The father was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma injuries.

The video, which authorities have warned is graphic, has drawn intense scrutiny. Critics, including some in the firearms community, have pointed to the number of rounds fired before the suspect was stopped, raising concerns about marksmanship under extreme pressure in what appeared to be a clear-cut defensive situation with no return fire and a stationary target.

"Train to be your own first responder," one commentator noted online, highlighting broader questions about law enforcement preparedness even in relatively straightforward deadly force encounters.

The Office of the Inspector General is investigating whether the officer's use of lethal force was justified under Connecticut law. No charges have been filed against Offiaeli at this time.

Meriden police described the scene as chaotic upon arrival, with the suspect actively continuing the attack despite police presence. The incident underscores the split-second, life-or-death decisions officers face when responding to violent domestic calls that can escalate in seconds.

Family members and neighbors expressed shock at the father-son tragedy. Both men are now deceased as a result of the violent confrontation.