A Middletown, CT, police officer was attacked by a man wielding a claw hammer Saturday evening after responding to a complaint about noise and breaking glass on a residential street.
CT Detective Attacked by Hammer-Wielding Man
the detective attempted to distance herself from her attacker and continued telling the suspect to put the hammer down. She eventually takes out her duty gun and begins rapidly firing at the suspect.
by Staff
August 16, 2023
A still from a body camera video shows Winston Tate charging toward Detective Karli Travis wielding a hammer and yelling at the officer.
Credit:
The Connecticut Office of Inspector General
1 min to read
Detective Karli Travis, who runs the Middletown Police Cadet Program and serves in the patrol division, was the first officer who responded to the call. She approached the resident on foot and police said that she immediately noticed that the suspect, 52-year-old Winston Tate, was wielding a blunt object, Fox News reports.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Eric McCallister said that Travis calmly asked Tate to drop the object, a metal hammer, to the ground.
He refused and Travis radioed for backup.
Body camera footage shows violence immediately ensue as Tate tackles the police officer and the pair begins thrashing around.
Chief McCallister said that the detective attempted to distance herself from her attacker and continued telling the suspect to put the hammer down. Travis eventually takes out her handgun and begins rapidly firing at Tate.
Backup officers arrived and Tate was arrested.
Detective Travis was taken to the hospital and released that evening with minor injuries.
Tate also had minor injuries.
More Patrol
Warriors Heart’s Mission to Serve America’s Veterans and First Responders
Warriors Heart works closely with federal and community partners to expand treatment options for veterans and first responders. By combining specialized clinical care with a peer-driven recovery environment, the program helps warriors rebuild strength, restore relationships, and rediscover purpose.
Read More →
How are LE Boots Different for Women?
Boots fit differently for men and women, so how are law enforcement boots for women designed differently from those worn by men? In this video, Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, shares all the details.
Read More →
Motorola Solutions Extends Resilient, Mission-Critical Communications and AI with T-Satellite from T-Mobile
A collaboration between Motorola Solutions and T-Mobile helps deliver uninterrupted situational awareness and access to AI wherever the mission leads, enabled by satellite connectivity for Motorola Solutions' APX NEXT smart radios.
Read More →
Registration Now Open for 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit
Registration is now open for the 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit. The Summit is an opportunity to connect with local and federal leaders, specifically the FirstNet Authority, which is hosting a track at the event this year.
Read More →
Tasmanian Tiger Launches Modular Chest Rig 4xM4 & Modular Chest Rig Pack for LE
Tasmanian Tiger has expanded its Modular Load-Carrying System with the new Modular Chest Rig 4xM4 and Modular Chest Rig Pack. Both provide adaptable, low-profile load options for military, law enforcement, and SWAT missions.
Read More →
ZeroEyes Expands from AI Gun Detection to Knife Detection & Suspect Tracking
ZeroEyes has launched three new product categories to extend beyond firearms to address additional acute safety threats and basic security needs. Knife detection and suspect tracking are now also available.
Read More →
GALLS Acquires CMS Uniforms
GALLS has acquired CMS Uniforms and Equipment, Inc., a prominent regional provider based in Nashville, Tennessee. CMS Uniforms, founded in 2000, has built a reputation for delivering stellar customer service and managing complex uniform programs for more than 670 accounts.
Read More →
Brinc Unveils Guardian, Launching the Next Era of Drone as First Responder
Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.
Read More →
Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis
The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →