BOSTON (WHDH) - A Dorchester man accused of shooting a Boston police officer on Monday night was ordered held without bail at his arraignment.
Avery Lewis, 31, of Dorchester, was arraigned in a courtroom at Dorchester District Court that was filled with Boston police officers who were showing their support for the officer who officials say was saved by the bulletproof vest he was wearing.
Lewis was arraigned on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device, armed assault to murder, assault and battery with a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, assault and battery of a police officer, possession of a firearm in commission of a felony, trafficking cocaine (36 grams or more, less than 100 grams), and resisting arrest.
He pleaded not guilty.
The officer was responding to a domestic call on Esmond Street around 9:30 p.m. when he was shot; he was taken to Boston Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Boston Police.
“We are very fortunate tonight that our officer is going to be fine, at least physically,” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said. “We issue those vests for a reason. But for that vest, I don’t know if we’d be saying the same things.”
Police said the injured officer has been on the job for a little over two years.
“I’m just very grateful at all the first responders who made sure that he was okay and could get medical treatment as quickly as possible while also resolving the situation and the scene at the initial call,” Mayor Michelle Wu said Monday night.
A firearm was recovered at the scene.
“We’re constantly concerned about the number of illegal guns on our street and the way it impacts everybody – not just the officers who get shot but anyone that gets shot,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden. “We have to wrest control of the situation, not just from the law enforcement perspective but from a community perspective.”
“I think that we’ve hopefully reached a point where our entire community is saying enough is enough,” Hayden said.
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