A Lawrence man and two teens have been arrested following an altercation at Saturday’s Methuen High School varsity football game after police say one of the suspects pointed a gun at police before leading officers on a chase and allegedly hitting a first responder with his car.
Chief Joseph E. Solomon said 19-year-old Anthony Rivera of Lawrence was arrested Saturday along with a 17-year-old from Lawrence and 17-year-old from Methuen, whose names are not being released due to their age. The arrests took place after an officer at the front gate of the stadium started to pursue a suspect due to a report that one of them allegedly displayed a gun.
That officer kept eyes on one particular suspect until he made his way to a gray Honda sedan, at which time the suspect in the driver’s seat allegedly pointed a gun in the officer’s direction before striking him with the car just before 3 p.m., police said. The vehicle—which had four people inside at the time—fled down Pleasant View Street before crashing on Larchwood Road. All four people fled on foot and while three were arrested within five minutes of the start of the incident, the fourth suspect remains at large.
A sweep of the area was done by Methuen Police K-9 units and a firearm was not located. The officer struck was taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure and at no time was there a danger to those attending the football game, Solomon said. The game, which was in the second half of play at the time, concluded as scheduled and the crowd dispersed without incident.
The three arrested face charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle), leaving the scene of property damage and assault by means of a dangerous weapon (firearm). The 17-year-old Methuen resident is a student at Methuen High and will be disciplined according to Methuen Public Schools policies, Superintendent Brandi Kwong said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Methuen Police at 978-983-8698.