Haverhill

Police Find Gang Member’s Loaded Gun in Cruiser After Arrest Tied to Lowell Ave. Shooting

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Elijah J. Oliver made what is believed to be gang signs at WHAV’s reporter during his Haverhill District Court arraignment Thursday. (WHAV News photograph.)

Haverhill Police apparently missed a loaded handgun—which made its way into a police cruiser—during the arrest of a 19-year-old gang suspect Thursday morning. Elijah J. Oliver somehow placed the gun, with seven rounds of live ammunition, into the rear of a police cruiser and sat next to it after being taken into custody just before 9 a.m. He was arrested on a warrant served by Haverhill Police who were joined by State Police. However, according to a police report obtained by WHAV, Oliver’s “tumultuous” movements upon being handcuffed apparently caused police to miss the gun during a “brief” pat-frisk. The gun, a Smith & Wesson 9mm with seven rounds in a magazine, was discovered in the side pocket of the rear passenger door of the police car.

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Breaking: Man Survives Shooting in Latest Haverhill Gunfire Incident

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(Jay Saulnier file photograph for WHAV News.)

A Lawrence man was Medflighted to Boston for treatment of a reported gunshot wound after apparently being struck early Monday morning on Main Street. The unidentified 35-year-old reported being shot at about 3:30 a.m., Monday, on Main Street near Eighth Avenue, according to Haverhill Police. Police learned of the shooting when it received a call from a local hospital, Detective Capt. Stephen J. Doherty Jr. told WHAV. The wound was considered “non-life-threatening,” he added. The shooting took place in an area where previously suspected gang retaliation has occurred, but police said it was too early in the investigation to speculate on motives.

Haverhill

Almonte, Accused of May Gang-Related Murder, Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment

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Eddy Almonte, seen here in his booking photo from Winchester, Va., returns to court Sept. 12. The man accused of shooting 20-year-old Nike Colon in May pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday. Twenty-seven-year-old Eddy Manuel Almonte was arraigned yesterday in Salem Superior Court on charges of first degree murder, carrying a firearm without a license and attempted assault and battery with a firearm. He was ordered held without bail and returns to court Sept.

Haverhill

Police Arrest Second Man for Stabbings in Haverhill’s Lafayette Square

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A second city man has been arrested in connection with stabbings earlier this month in Haverhill’s Lafayette Square. (Jay Saulnier file photograph for WHAV News)

Haverhill Police Thursday arrested a second man in connection with the July 13 stabbings in the city’s Lafayette Square neighborhood. Gilbert Vasquez, of 11 High St., was taken into custody at 12:40 p.m. by Det. James Cotreau on a warrant related to the incident, which left a Methuen man and a Nashua, N.H., man with serious injuries. Arrested at 100 Salem St., Vasquez now faces an assault to murder charge.

Haverhill

Suspect in Haverhill’s Lafayette Square Stabbings Is Brother of Accused Fifth Avenue Shooter

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The man arrested and charged in connection with stabbings in Lafayette Square is the older brother of Rony Vasquez, the 18-year-old accused of being the Fifth Avenue gunman. (Jay Saulnier photograph for WHAV News)

Three days after the arrest of Haverhill’s Jose Vasquez in connection with last weekend’s stabbings in Lafayette Square, WHAV can exclusively confirm that the suspect is the older brother of Rony Vasquez, the 18-year-old alleged triggerman at the center of last month’s Fifth Avenue shooting. While Haverhill Police have not commented on the connection between Jose and Rony Vasquez, new court documents obtained by WHAV say police are aware of the presence of “gang members living at 11 High St., (on the) 2nd floor.”

A third brother, Gilbert Vasquez, is said to also be involved in the stabbing of two men from Methuen and Nashua, N.H., that took place just after 8 p.m. on Friday, July 13. In an affidavit, Haverhill Detective William T. O’Connell said Jose Vasquez and his brother Gilbert used a knife to stab the Methuen man in the stomach and the Nashua man near his kidney, leading to serious injuries. One of the men required surgery at Lawrence General Hospital.

Haverhill

Grand Jury Indicts Haverhill Man Accused of Murdering Nike Colon

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Eddy Almonte (seen here in his booking photo from Winchester, Va.)has been indicted for the May 2018 murder of Haverhill’s Nike Colon, WHAV can exclusively reveal. A secret grand jury proceeding has resulted in the indictment of alleged gang member Eddy Almonte, the Haverhill man accused of murdering 20-year-old Nike Colon, WHAV can exclusively reveal. Almonte is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court next month, DA spokeswoman Carrie Kimball Monahan tells WHAV. The 27-year-old was indicted on June 28. Court-appointed criminal attorney Eduardo A. Masferrer heads up his defense, and tells WHAV Almonte looks forward to his day in court.

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Gonzalez, Marte Set for Superior Court Hearings on Haverhill Gun Charges

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Nestor Gonzalez and Juan Marte appear in Essex County Superior Court later this month. (File photograph)

Two known gang members whose local criminal history dates back to the 2016 Swasey Field shooting are set for Superior Court appearances later this month after grand juries indicted them on new firearms charges. Nestor Gonzalez and Juan Marte were arrested and charged with unlawful firearm possession in November 2017 when stopped by State Police in Haverhill’s Railroad Square. As WHAV exclusively reported last month, two others arrested on identical charges have already been freed. Cases against 20-year-old Lizmarie Lozada, and 22-year-old Carlos Rodriguez were dismissed.

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Gang Member Tied to 2016 Swasey Shooting Indicted on New Gun Charges

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Martin Lewis will answer to assault to murder charges at a superior court arraignment later this month. (File photograph)

Martin Lewis, a known gang member allegedly involved in a series of Haverhill shootings, including the 2016 incident at Swasey Field, has been indicted on new charges stemming from an April arrest, the DA’s office tells WHAV. Under surveillance by Haverhill Police in the days after a March 26 drive-by shooting in Bradford, Lewis was arrested April 3 during an altercation that authorities say threatened their safety and the safety of nearby residents. In a police report, Detective Sean Scharneck said authorities were attempting to take Lewis into custody on a warrant relating to the March shooting when the 18-year-old fled and tossed a loaded gun into the Haverhill Public Library parking lot in the process. Once captured, the Marshland Street resident was found to be in possession of a black Taurus handgun, marijuana and two orange pills said to be a derivative of Suboxone, according to police.