An 18-year-old self-described gang member brazenly bragged about having his gun out in broad daylight Sept. 15, going so far as to tell a Haverhill Police officer involved in arresting him for Sunday’s Jackson Street shooting he wished he turned the gun on that officer instead.
The Ford Focus was towed away from the scene. (Courtesy photograph/Haverhill 411)
As WHAV previously reported police say 7th Avenue’s Brian Grande was one of three people allegedly involved in a shooting just before noon in the city’s Mount Washington neighborhood Sunday. After a 911 call was made, officers responded to High Street and Jackson Street Extension to interview possible witnesses. People in the area told police they saw a blue Ford Focus hatchback driven by a woman pull out from behind a white van parked in front of 43 Jackson St. and two males—including one with a gun in his waistband—get inside. Another neighbor reported hearing eight shots followed by two more.
Police recovered nine spent shell casings in the street. They said 65 Jackson St. Ext. was hit once in the second floor window, while 69 Jackson St. Extension was hit three times. Both homes sustained more than $1,200 worth of damage.
That same car was later seen in front of CVS in Lafayette Square and stopped by Officer Zachary Phair. Officer Jordan Bergevine assisted, and was forced to draw his weapon when a male—later determined to be Grande—bailed out of the car and allegedly tossed the gun in the process.
When the Smith and Wesson firearm Grande allegedly possessed was located, police said it was found with a 15-round magazine and had one round in the chamber. No other weapons were found.
During booking at the Bailey Boulevard police station, Grande allegedly threatened Bergevine, referring to him as “that n—ga who held me up.” He later said he wished he “turned my gun and shot him in the face.”
According to a police report, Grande made frequent references to his gang affiliation, scratching that affiliation’s symbols into the wall of the police station’s jail cell. He also “said it was his gun and he was returning the favor that his enemies did to him.” Although Grande’s gang affiliation is known to WHAV, it is the radio station’s policy not to name the group and afford it additional notoriety.
Grande was also arrested along with Peabody’s Nadia Millis and Jose Rosado of Providence, R.I. All three appeared before Haverhill District Court Judge Patricia Dowling at arraignment Monday, facing assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a loaded firearm and several related charges. Millis, behind the wheel of the Ford Focus at the time of the incident, also faces an accessory after the fact charge.
Dowling ordered Grande held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing next week, while Rosado and Millis were held on $50,000 bail. They return to court in mid-October for a pre-trial hearing.