BROCKTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Two men recently arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a Brockton restaurant faced a judge Tuesday, appearing in court as the prosecution detailed allegations against them.
Nathan Veiga, 22, and Jamal Bazile, 18, were arrested on Monday, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office, a matter of days after prosecutors said Bazile shot 22-year-old Joe Araujo inside Hibachi Sushi Supreme Buffet on Friday night.
The shooting was caught on camera and sent diners scrambling to safety.
Later speaking to reporters, Plymouth County DA Tim Cruz said video of the incident “shows a brazen, intentional, deliberate, premeditated act.”
Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague on Tuesday said Veiga first entered Hibachi Sushi to get food. Inside, the prosecutor claimed Veiga spotted Araujo.
Sprague said the two were part of opposing groups.
Security video, Sprague said, showed Veiga leave the restaurant and get into a car. Bazile, who was wearing a distinct jacket, then got out of the same car, entered the restaurant and shot Araujo at point-blank range, according to Sprague.
“With complete disregard of the physical, mental and emotional well-being of everyone in that restaurant, he conducted a brazen, indoor execution in front of small children,” Sprague said.
Araujo was shot in the abdomen and leg. The father of two young children, he was later pronounced dead.
Araujo’s family left court without saying a word Tuesday.
Discussing their investigation, authorities said they found the suspects, in part, because Veiga used his credit card in the restaurant.
Investigators later searched Veiga’s house.
“A jacket that appears to be the same one Mr. Bazile wore during the shooting was seized from Mr. Veiga’s bedroom,” Sprague said.
Sprague said Bazile also posted about the crime on social media.
Ultimately, though, it was the security video that officials said helped them piece together this crime.
“You don’t see execution-style shootings here in the city very often and it was important to get that out,” Cruz said, referencing his office’s decision to release some of the security video to the public.
“That’s not something we usually do,” he continued. “And that’s something that we did because we thought it was important to get it out and I believe it helped lead to the conclusion.”
Veiga’s defense attorney said his client was not inside the restaurant at the time of this shooting and had nothing to do with incident.
Both Veiga and Bazile were being held without bail Tuesday night. They are due back in court in February.
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