Three Weapons, Multiple Bullet Casings Found at Courtland Street Home

The area around Courtland Street remains closed to through traffic and neighbors are slowing being allowed back to their homes after a deadly standoff Thursday night between police and a man who had held his family hostage inside their home.

Members of the State Police from the Central District Major Crime Squad have found 75 shell casings on the first floor of the 13 Courtland St. home and expected to find dozens more when they search the second floor, according to Lt. J. Paul Vance, state police spokesman, adding that the shooter had accumulated a “significant amount of ammunition.”

Edmanuel Reyes, 33, discharged bullets from each of the three weapons found in the house – a .45-caliber pistol, a .22-caliber pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun, Vance said.

The lieutenant also said police have determined that that Reyes had intentionally fired upon responding officers, wounding one when the officer tried to enter the house after hearing shots fired from inside and fearing for Reyes’ wife and the couple’s two sons.

Manchester Police Officer William Beeler, a three-year member of the force, was shot in the left shoulder. Beeler, who is also the head football coach at Enrico Fremi High School in Enfield, was treated and released from Hartford Hospital Thursday night.

In addition the casings found in the first floor of the house, Vance said police expect to find dozens more on the second floor where Marianella Reyes and her 10- and 13-year-old sons had barricaded themselves into a room.

At around 5:30 p.m. Marianella called police to report that her husband was "armed and acting despondent and irrational,” Vance said. Lt. Christopher Davis with the Manchester Police Department said Marianella reported that her husband was waving a gun around inside the house.

At about 7:15 p.m., after talking to police negotiators, Edmanuel released his family. As he stood in the doorway a municipal police sniper shot and killed him, Vance said.

Because police personnel killed the suspect, Hartford State’s Attorney Gail Hardy and Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy asked that state police take over the investigation, Vance said, adding that this is a routine practice.

Vance said state police should be at the site and in the neighborhood throughout the day and into the evening. He said there were many civilian cars and houses hit in the barrage of shots fired by Reyes and police are trying to account for all the bullets.

Vance said neighbors have been accommodating as police comb through the area looking for bullet holes. Friday afternoon, several sat on their front steps watching as police worked.

Vance added that the first responders to Thursday’s incident did an “outstanding job” at getting the neighbors out of harms way.

“It was an outstanding response by these officers who were definitely in harm’s way. They showed restraint and concern for the people. They truly did a good job in a very dangerous situation,” Vance said.

Check back to Manchester Patch throughout the day for more information on this story.