BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — It was a busy Friday night for Boston police from the South End to Dorchester, including several firearm-related arrests, pursuits, a loud crowded street fight, and a death investigation all within about eight hours.
At around 7:40 p.m. Friday, officers in Roxbury spotted a white Jeep Grand Cherokee that was flagged as stolen. As police attempted to pull over the Jeep, the driver sped off and struck a parked vehicle. Three males reportedly exit the stolen car and fled in different directions.
Police apprehended all three, and secured a loaded firearm with nine rounds of live ammunition that was discarded during the pursuit. An 18-year-old man from Providence and a 16-year-old male from Roxbury are facing several charges. A third male was identified and released.
Shortly after 7:45 p.m. Friday, officers in Boston's South End responded to a radio call for a person shot in the area of Hammond Street and Westminster Street. Upon arrival, officers located three adult male victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The three men were transported to local area hospitals, two with non-life-threatening injuries and one with life-threatening injuries. The victim suffering life-threatening injuries later died.
BPD said it is actively reviewing the facts and circumstances of the incident and is asking anyone with information relative to the investigation to contact Boston Police Homicide Detectives at (617) 343-4470.
At approximately 12:50 a.m. Saturday morning, officers in Roxbury pulled over a vehicle that was flagged for a missing juvenile. When BPD requested identification from the driver and the passenger, officers said they noticed the passenger "quickly tried to cover his lap with a bag of chips, drawing the officers’ attention to an apparent weighted object in the passenger’s front right pocket."
The passenger was removed from the vehicle and within the front pocket of his pants, officers recovered a firearm loaded with ten rounds of live ammunition. 19-year-old Jamaun Coakley-Thomason of Roxbury was taken into custody on several firearm charges. The driver was identified and released from the scene.
About 20 minutes later, officers responded to a radio call for an unruly fight in the area of 9 Valentine Street in Roxbury. A second call came in for shots fired in the same area at around 1:10 am. As officers made their way to the scene, they saw "a large crowd fighting and arguing outside Fort Hill Bar and Grill on Washington Street.
The responding officers said they noticed one man in particular who was holding a firearm in his hand while arguing with another unknown individual. The man then allegedly tuck the firearm into his waistband, and the officers immediately exited their cruiser and approached him demanding that he drop the firearm. Officers continued to give multiple verbal commands as the suspect began to run away from the officers towards Valentine Street.
"Officers gave chase with the growing crowds following closely," said BPD. "Officers were repeatedly interrupted by the crowd who began interfering with the officers’ pursuit of the fleeing suspect. At one point an unidentified female attempted to trip one of the officers in an effort to aid the armed suspect."
Officers continued after the suspect down Valentine Street where he allegedly discarded the firearm in front of 9 Valentine Street. One of the officers secured the firearm, loaded with thirteen rounds of live ammunition, while the second officer continued to pursue the suspect to the area of 51 Vale Street, where he was eventually apprehended.
During both the pursuit of the suspect and his arrest, BPD said the unruly crowd "continually taunted officers and further agitated the scene." While processing the crime scene, an unidentified male also reportedly walked up to the yellow crime scene tape and began threatening the officers, arguing and yelling at them as the attempted to clear the scene. He refused to comply with officers’ numerous requests to leave the area and was also eventually taken into custody.
At around 2:50 a.m. Saturday, BPS stopped a vehicle on Dorchester Avenue for allegedly failing to use a turn signal. Officers said they saw the driver "lift himself off of the seat using his elbows, before returning to a seated position, then slouching over as if he was attempting to reach down underneath the driver’s seat."
Officers reportedly approached the car and asked the driver to lower the dark tinted windows, but they said he became "confrontational and evasive." Based off of the operator’s erratic movements while pulled over, BPD said officers removed two occupants from the vehicle and found a shirt wrapped around a firearm loaded with five rounds of live ammunition. The driver and passenger were both taken into custody.
At 3:10 a.m. Saturday, while on patrol in the area of Blue Hill Avenue and Cheney Street, officers pulled over a vehicle with an "extremely dark tint" on Blue Hill Avenue which did not have a valid inspection sticker. Officers said the driver was operating with a learner’s permit, and the passenger did not have a valid license to drive.
When the passenger was removed from the vehicle, officers recovered a teal firearm from within the passenger’s groin area, which was loaded with nine rounds of live ammunition. During an inventory of the vehicle prior to towing, officers recovered a second firearm within the front passenger side leg panel loaded with eight rounds of live ammunition. The driver and the passenger were both taken into custody.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App
(Photo: Getty Images)