DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Avery Lewis, 31, of Dorchester pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a long list of charges stemming from the shooting of a Boston Police officer Monday night.

According to court records, Lewis’s criminal history spans more than a decade, including gang affiliation and drug dealing.

In 2017, Webster Police arrested Lewis on drug charges after police said they found him with 30 grams of cocaine, some concealed in a baby’s car seat. Later that same year, Boston Police charged Lewis with dealing crack near a Dorchester school, just up the street from where he was living.

On Monday night, the officer who was shot responded to a domestic call on Esmond Street in Dorchester where police say he wrestled for control of the suspect’s gun. The shot fired hit the officer’s bulletproof vest.

“The wound was obvious in the hospital room,” said Larry Calderone of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association. “It penetrated the skin. The bruising around the area was very large.”

The officer is now at home recovering from his injuries, but his fellow officers filled the courtroom Tuesday during Lewis’ arraignment.

“My heart goes out to him and his family,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “We have to do everything we can to protect our police officers and make sure they have the resources and support that they need.”

Boston Police said they have had run-ins with Lewis dating back to 2009, including 3 times as a juvenile. Court paperwork from 2017 said Lewis is in the Boston Police Department’s database as a “known gang member”.

Lewis is being held without bail.

(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox