BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston police officers assigned to the Youth Violence Strike Force broke up a large crowd and made six arrests, recovering four loaded handguns in the process.
According to the Boston Police website BPDNews.com, officers came across a large group gathered in the street that appeared to be filming a video. When the officers were spotted, two men took off running in different directions.
Officers split up and pursued the two men, eventually catching up to both. David Stewart, 21 of Dorchester, was arrested without further incident and recovered a loaded .40 caliber Sig Sauer P226 handgun, which Stewart had been carrying.
The second suspect, Taylor Nelson, 23 of Hyde Park, violently resisted arrest and attempted to escape custody, according to police. Police also recovered a loaded firearm that they say the suspect discarded in the apartment where he was arrested.
Officers say they attempted to place Nelson in custody but were blocked by a crowd.
Several more officers appeared at the scene to attempt to control the crowd. Two other suspects were arrested after officers say they observed the two people inciting the crowd. One, Robert Wheeler, 21 of Dorchester, was placed in custody.
A second suspect, Nickhlas Simpson, 22 of Dorchester, screamed profanities at officers and refused to leave the scene. Officers say they saw a firearm in the waistband of his pants and placed him into custody, recovering a .45 caliber High Point handgun. Officers say Simpson stated to arresting police, “You’re lucky I didn’t pull that out.”
Two other suspects were arrested after officers say they observed a vehicle at the center of the purported video shoot. After speaking to the occupants, officers recovered a loaded gun and arrested the car’s occupants, Fritznel Vilsaint, 28 of Malden, and Andria Rowlands, 21 of Brockton. Both parties denied ownership of the weapon.
“The officers in this incident showed enormous restraint when faced with several armed individuals,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans. “They quickly calmed the crowd and worked with neighbors to ensure the safety of children and disperse the large crowd. Their quick response and actions removed four guns from the neighborhood. I commend their work and skills reducing tension and de-escalating a volatile situation.”
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