Three Suspects Arrested After Shooting Incident at Dudley St. and Mt. Pleasant Ave.
About 8:52pm tonight, April 30, 2007, officers from District B-2 and the Youth Violence Strike Force were on patrol in the area of Dudley St. and Dearborn St. when they heard the sound of shots being fired. Officers almost immediately observed a speeding motor vehicle fleeing from the scene. Officers pursued that motor vehicle up Mt. Pleasant Ave. where it crashed at 80 Mt. Pleasant Ave. Three suspects attempted to flee from the car and two were caught after a brief foot pursuit. The third suspect eluded capture but was apprehended a short while later. Search of the car that the suspects fled from resulted in a firearm being located and recovered. Officers also recovered ballistic evidence at the scene of the crime. All three suspects are in the process of being booked in relation to this incident.
A victim self applied to Boston Medical Center suffering from multiple gunshots as a result of this incident. The victim, at this time, has life threatening injuries.
ARREST MADE IN THE 1995 MURDER OF BOBBY MENDES
The Boston Police Department is pleased to announce that Arnaldo Lopes, 28, has been arrested for the 1995 homicide of Robert (Bobby) Mendes.
After an exhaustive multi-agency investigation, Mr. Lopes was apprehended today when he arrived at Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington International Airport aboard American Airlines flight 1036 at approximately 2:35pm. Lopes was arrested Massachusetts federal warrant dated March 25, 1996, charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
On October 10, 1995, around 8:09 pm, officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) responded to a radio call for a person stabbed. On arrival, officers located Bobby Mendes, 25, of Roxbury suffering from stab wounds. Mendes was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The arrest of Lopes is the result of extensive cooperation among numerous law enforcement agencies which include: Boston Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Agency, Boston Housing Authority Police, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Prince George’s County Police Department and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department.
Immediately after the murder, Boston Police Homicide detectives conducted an investigation and identified Arnaldo Lopes as the individual responsible for the murder of Bobby Mendes. Detectives sought and were granted an arrest warrant charging Lopes with murder.
Lopes fled the area and assumed a false identity (aka Michael Eric Hernandez) in his efforts to elude authorities. Boston Police have made every effort to locate and apprehend Lopes. For more than a decade, Boston Police detectives have been running down every lead relative to the whereabouts of Lopes.
Police Commissioner Ed Davis stated, “The efforts of the detectives and agents involved in this case left no stone unturned in their quest for Bobby’s killer. This investigation led authorities from Boston to Cape Verde to Baltimore to Montego Bay and dozens of places in between. Those tenacious efforts paid off today. Let the message be clear: the men and women of this police department are dogged in their efforts to bring those who commit violence in our streets to justice.” Commissioner Davis added, “I hope today’s arrest brings some sense of peace to Isaura Mendes and her family.”
Significant Development in 1995 Homicide Investigation
WHO: Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis; FBI Special Agent in Charge Warren Bamford, District Attorney Dan Conley and DEA Special Agent in Charge June Stansbury
WHAT: There has been a significant development related to the 1995 homicide of Bobby Mendes. Boston Police will host a press conference to discuss the latest details.
WHERE: Boston Police Headquarters (Media Room)
WHEN: Monday April 30, 2007 at 6:30 pm
UPDATED CRIME DATA – January 1st – April 29th, 2006 vs. 2007
Please click the links below to view updated crime data in the City of Boston for the time period of January 1st – April 29th, 2006 vs. 2007.
View Data on YTD Part One Crime (PDF – Download Adobe Reader)
View Data on YTD Shootings (PDF – Download Adobe Reader)
View Data on YTD Firearm Arrests (PDF – Download Adobe Reader)
View Data on YTD Recovered Firearms* (PDF – Download Adobe Reader)
Daily Incident For April 30, 2007
Ice Cream Shop Robbed At Knife Point
Yesterday around 2:15pm, officers from District 4 responded to a radio call for an armed robbery at 201 Brookline Avenue. On arrival, officers spoke with the caller who stated a black male wearing beige baseball cap, jean jacket and plaid shirt walked into the shop and demanded money. The caller stated the suspect displayed a knife and grabbed unknown amount of cash and fled in unknown direction.
Three Arrested for Affray in East Boston
At 1:56am, officers in District 7 were on patrol in the Day Square area and observed a group of about ten people pushing and shoving each other outside of the Medello Bar at 411 Chelsea Street. Officers further observed people in the middle of group slapping and hitting each other. Officers were able to diffuse the situation. Officers were informed that by one of the suspect that a verbal altercation occurred inside the bar. At that time they all went outside and began arguing when the fight started. Juan Gomez, 22, of Revere and two East Boston residents Diana Mejia, 22, Juliana Restrepo, 20 were all arrested and charged with Affray.
Traffic Stop In front of Dorchester Courts Ends in Arrest
This morning around 11:21am, members of the Youth Violence Strike Force observed a vehicle stopped in the middle of Washington Street near Dunlap Street obstructing traffic. Officers performed a traffic stop and were informed by the operator that he did not have a valid drivers license. Further investigation revealed the operator has a suspended license. Steven Barbosa, 21, of Dorchester was arrested and charged Operating Motor Vehicle without a License and Possession of Class D.
WEEKEND WRAP-UP
A look at the last 72 hours in Boston, from Friday, April 27 through 10 A.M. Monday, April 30, 2007. (See recent Daily Incident summaries and earlier postings for more detailed descriptions of some of the incidents identified below)
Homicides: 0
Non-fatal Shootings: 1
Non-fatal Stabbings: 4
Street Robberies: 19
Commercial Robberies: 2
Bank: 1
Other: 2
Vehicle Thefts: 38
Vehicle Recoveries: 28 (8 Arrest)
Larceny from Motor Vehicles (motor-vehicle breaks): 56
Residential Break-ins: 31
Commercial Break-ins: 4
Note: the information above is preliminary information, and should not be considered official crime statistics. The information is based on an initial review of incident reports and may not be a comprehensive listing of events. It is not a statistical analysis, but rather an initial tally of significant events. Some of the incidents included may be covered in more detail in other blog postings.
Fleeing Suspect Arrested After Hitting Car Head-On and Striking Two Cruisers
At approximately 6:45pm today, April 29, 2007, officers from District C-11 in the area of Longfellow St. in Dorchester observed a motor vehicle going the wrong way on a one-way street. Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the suspect motor vehicle refused to stop and fled from police officers. Officers followed the suspect at safe speeds from a distance while updating via police radio the direction of flight of the suspect motor vehicle. Based on broadcast of the officers, the suspect was once again encountered by officers at the intersection of Bowdoin St. and Adams St. There, the suspect motor again refused to stop for police officers and assaulted police officers by ramming into two police cruisers rather than stop for officers.
Officers continued to follow the suspect motor vehicle losing sight of it and again locating it as it proceeded down Hancock St. crossing over to District B-2. As the suspect motor vehicle continued to travel at a high rate of speed, officers lost sight of the suspect motor vehicle as it made a right turn from Hancock St. to Columbia Rd. then to Dudley St. Officers next observed the suspect motor vehicle at Dudley St. and Folsom St. when it struck another car head-on that was traveling in the opposite direction on Dudley St. The suspect then fled his motor vehicle on foot after striking the oncoming car head-on. Officers pursued the suspect and caught him after a brief foot pursuit. The suspect struggled with officers but was eventually handcuffed and placed under arrest.
The operator of the vehicle struck by the suspect’s vehicle was transported to Boston Medical Center by ambulance and is reported to be in stable condition. Four officers went to the hospital: two officers self applied to the Boston Medical Center, one to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, while another was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital by ambulance with some minor injuries as a result of this incident.
The suspect, Kevin Barrow, 23, of Mattapan, will be arraigned at Dorchester District Court on numerous charges to include three counts of Assault and Battery by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (one against the civilian operator of the struck MV, and two against the operators of the police cruisers), Driving to Endanger, Refusal to Stop for Police Officers, Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Personal Injuries, Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage, Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Resisting Arrest and a host of motor vehicle violations.
Daily Incidents For April 29, 2007
Firearm Recovered During Traffic Stop
At 10:30pm, members from the Youth Violence Strike Force were on patrol in the Woodrow Ave area conducted a motor vehicle stop. Further investigation revealed the registration was canceled. The operator provided police with a driver’s license and a car rental agreement. The rental agreement showed that the vehicle was due to be returned on the 21st of April. Officers requested both occupants to exit the vehicle, as the vehicle was not allowed on the road due to a canceled registration. During and inventory search of the vehicle officers discovered a sock with a firearm protruding through a hole in the sock located in the pocket of the passenger seat. Jhett Ezedi, 23, of Hyde Park and Deshawn Parris, 24 of Dorchester were arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition. Officers did recover a loaded firearm. Mr Ezedi will also be charged with Operating Unregistered Motor Vehicle
Person Shot in Dorchester
Last night at 11:19pm, officers from District 3 (Mattapan) responded to a radio call for shots fired at the intersection of Millet and Park Streets. On arrival, officers were flagged down by a group of males standing on Millet Street, who informed them that a male was shot. Officers observed the victim, 22-year-old male with an apparent gunshot wound left side of head and chin. The victim stated to officers that he was sitting in a parked motor vehicle when an unknown person began shooting at the vehicle. The victim stated at that time he ran from vehicle and up Millet Street. The victim was transported to Boston Medical Center and treated for a non-life threatening injury. Officers did recover ballistic evidence at the scene.
Suspect Takes a Bite Out of Crime
This morning around 12:40am, while conducting a detail at Gypse Bar officers were summons to assist staff at Mansion Night club at 1 Boylston Place. When officers entered the second floor numerous patrons were running from a large fight. Officers gave verbal commands to the group to disperse and the fighting stopped. Officer’s observed two males pushing the staff and other patrons yelling obscenities. The male suspects began to engage into a fistfight with another unknown male. Both of the males were on the ground the when officers attempted place the suspects under arrest, one of the suspect’s bit an officer on his inner thigh. Renaldo Jones, 21, of Billerica was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on a Police Officer and Disorderly. Also arrested was Peter McKenna, 24, of Billerica and charges with Assault by means of a Dangerous Weapon, Resisting Arrest, Disturbing the Peach and Disorderly.
Boston Police Seize Nine Kilos of Cocaine
Yesterday and today Members of the Boston Police Drug control Units from Area B and Area E in conjunction with MA State Police and US Postal Inspectors are pleased to announce significant drug seizures and arrests. Officers seized three different packages containing 3 kilos of cocaine shipped to three different addresses in Boston.
Police Commissioner Ed Davis stated, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers for their ceaseless efforts to put an end to illegal drug activity. These arrests send a clear message that the Boston Police Department will not tolerate individuals who prey on our community.”
Carlos Paniagua, 33, of Roxbury, Jose Paredes, 32, of Boston and Elias Maldonado, 34, of Puerto Rico were arrested and charged with Trafficking Class B. Officers did recover 9 kilograms of cocaine.
Statement From Chiara Levin’s Family
We continue to mourn the senseless loss of our dear Chiara. She is constantly in our thoughts and always in our hearts. We wish to express our gratitude to members of the Boston Police Department working on our behalf and that of all law-abiding citizens of the community as well as to those persons who have aided them in their efforts. While the recent arrests cannot bring Chiara back to us, we are pleased that the investigative and judicial processes are taking their course, and we will continue to monitor closely all matters and events pertaining to the case.
We hope that the loss we are enduring that has changed our lives forever—and from which there is no recovery—will help others to reflect upon the senselessness of violent responses to conflict and the danger of easy access to and misuse of weapons, and that it will encourage everyone to embrace the gift of words that Chiara loved so much in order to increase understanding and promote peace. We realize that this is a multifaceted, socially and politically complex task that goes beyond simple conflict-resolution skills. We wish nevertheless for young people to ponder Chiara’s short yet rich life and learn to respect, appreciate, and look past differences instead of fighting them. We will dedicate our lives in ways yet to be formalized, using the fund bearing her name, to follow the path that she has opened so that the meaningful contribution to this world that she wanted to make will become reality.