STOUGHTON, MASS. (WHDH) - An 18-year-old from Stoughton appeared in court Tuesday to face charges after police said he was arrested in connection with a shooting outside a local convenience store.
The shooting happened on Saturday in the area of Central Street and Greenwood Avenue.
Stoughton police in an initial statement said officers responded to a report of shots fired and obtained a description of a suspect fleeing the area. Police said officers later found Francois near a condominium complex.
In court, officials said Francois was in a car with another person before the shooting. Officials said Francois allegedly later got out and shot into the car.
“He eventually admitted that he was meeting someone to purchase marijuana who he had not met before,” a prosecutor said.
Police said video showed Francois leaving the scene with a gun in hand.
One person was subsequently treated at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro for a gunshot wound related to the shooting, officials said.
Where the prosecution laid out its case, neighbors described the emergency response, with one saying she saw search dogs being used.
“They were looking for something,” said Stoughton resident Alixe Weisman. “And the next morning I woke up and, sure enough, it was on the news.”
Francois was arraigned on charges including assault and battery with a firearm, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and armed robbery.
Though they declined to comment on camera, Francois’ family on Tuesday claimed he is innocent.
Francois was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Friday.
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