Prospect, Connecticut — On October 20, 2023, at approximately 4:55 p.m., Prospect Police Officers David Terni and Jonathan Slavin were dispatched to 20 Merriman Lane, Prospect, on a report of a possible disturbance. Upon arrival, they spoke to a neighbor who stated that he heard suspicious noises coming from within 20 Merriman Lane and believed that there was some sort of disturbance occurring inside. Officer Slavin approached the rear of the house while Officer Terni approached the front. One of the front windows had been dislodged allowing an opening into the house.
When asked what happened to the window, the woman inside said, “Mike did it.” At that time, a subject, identified as 48-year-old Michael Strenk, opened a kitchen drawer and removed a knife. Officer Terni ordered Strenk to drop the knife. Strenk threw the knife in the direction of Officer Terni. It passed through the open window missing the officer. At this point, Strenk charged at Officer Terni with another knife in his right hand. Officer Terni fired two shots striking and fatally wounding Strenk.
Emergency Medical Services pronounced Strenk dead at the scene. The chief medical examiner’s office determined that Strenk died of a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was determined to be a homicide.
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