Haverhill

Police Arrest City Man Tied to 2016 Swasey Shooting for Murder of Nike Colon

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Eddy Almonte booking photograph. (Courtesy photo)

A 27-year-old Haverhill man has been arrested in connection with the May 17 murder of Nike Colon, Haverhill Police announced Wednesday. Eddy Manuel Almonte was placed under arrest during an unrelated motor vehicle stop in Winchester, Va., on Tuesday, May 28 on an arrest warrant for murder. At approximately 10:30 p.m., Winchester police stopped a vehicle carrying Almonte and his brother, a resident of Virginia’s Frederick County, as passengers. The driver received a summons for not being licensed, local authorities confirmed.

Haverhill

Haverhill Receives $682K Grant to Bring UTEC Gang Outreach to City

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Gregg Croteau (second from left), Mayor James J. Fiorentini and Rep. Andy Vargas are among those bringing an anti-gang violence program to Haverhill. (Courtesy photograph)

Haverhill is saying “no more” to gang violence. City and state leaders Tuesday gathered to announce a two-year $682,486 grant to bring violence prevention group UTEC to the city starting next month. The funding was made possible through the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative, which focuses on “proven-risk” youth more likely to experience violence. At Tuesday’s announcement, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito praised Rep. Andy Vargas, Mayor James J. Fiorentini and Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro, who led the collective charge to make the program a reality.

Haverhill

Police Have Not Ruled Out Gang Retaliation for Thursday’s Shooting Death

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Haverhill Police Capt. Stephen Doherty and Deputy Chief Anthony L. Haugh confer at Thursday’s crime scene on Washington Street. (WHAV News photograph.)

Haverhill Police have not ruled out gang retaliation as a motive behind Thursday’s shooting death of 20-year-old Nike Colon. WHAV posed the question to Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro during a previously scheduled budget press conference Friday that was overshadowed by recent violence. “We’re still not sure about that. We have to get people to, obviously that we’re talking to people and we’re trying to piece the whole process together so, at this point, it is still too early for us to make a definitive statement about that,” DeNaro said.

Haverhill

Teen Indicted for 2016 Swasey Shooting Held Without Bail on New Gun Charges

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(Swasey Field in Haverhill as seen in a file photograph)

Two years after a Haverhill teen was indicted in connection with the shootings of two men at Swasey Field, authorities have ordered him held without bail on new gun and drug charges. Now 18, Martin Lewis Jr. was taken into custody April 3 by Officer Sean Scharneck on Boardman Street, charged with unlicensed possession of ammunition and large capacity firearms. Lewis was also found to be in possession of an undisclosed class E drug, which include prescription drugs like codeine, morphine and opium. Carrie Kimball-Monahan of the Essex County District Attorney’s Office told WHAV Lewis was charged with resisting arrest, assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and malicious damage to a vehicle. Due to the severity of his charges, Lewis is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for April 24. His recent trouble with the law comes two years after his alleged involvement in gang-related activity that led to two men receiving non-life threatening gunshot wounds.

Archive

Police Expect Sunday’s 20-Year-Old Shooting Victim to Recover

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A 20-year-old Haverhill man was shot Sunday afternoon in the Acre neighborhood—an area beset by numerous shootings over the past year. The man was taken to a local hospital and is expected to recover from his injuries, Haverhill Police said in a statement. The unidentified victim was shot around 3:30 p.m., near 44 Portland St. As has been the case with some other city shootings, Haverhill Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the shooter. Last November, Haverhill Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro told Haverhill city councilors four recent victims refused to help police identify their assailants.

Haverhill

DeNaro on Gang Eradication Efforts: ‘We’re Burning the Candle at Both Ends’

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Haverhill Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro assured city council members and residents Tuesday that the department is firing on all cylinders to combat the recent uptick in violent gang activity. Discussing the arrests of individuals and seizure of weapons believed to be involved in four of the last five city shootings, DeNaro said his team is “burning the candle at both ends.”

“We provide the services of a 140-man police department with 90 officers, because that’s what this community demands,” he said. “That’s what we need to have the level of service we expect. What we need to figure out a way so I’m not doing it on 16- and 18-hour days on the back of our officers and properly staff. We’re all in agreement of that, it’s just how we get there.”

The chief confirmed that the Haverhill Police Department has worked with state and national agencies including the FBI, DEA and U.S. Marshals, and have in-house officers that are cross-sworn federally.

Haverhill

DeNaro: Tuesday’s Gun Arrests May Help End Spate of Recent Shootings

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Haverhill Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro. (WHAV News file photograph.)

Four men and a woman, believed to have been involved in a spate of recent shootings in the city, were arrested early Tuesday morning after State Police stopped an SUV in Railroad Square and found two loaded guns under the back seats. Haverhill Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro told city councilors Tuesday night the car had been spotted near recent shootings and police were alerted to look for it. He said the guns seized may have been used during recent shootings. “We arrested five subjects inside the vehicle.

Haverhill

Haverhill Police, State Troopers Recover Two Loaded Guns During Traffic Stop, Five Arrested

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Four men and a woman were arrested by Haverhill Police early Tuesday morning after State Police stopped an SUV in Railroad Square and found two loaded guns under the back seats. State Trooper Patrick McCrave, assigned to the Newbury Barracks, was patrolling in downtown Haverhill just after midnight when he found a black 2013 Infiniti JX35 to be in violation of motor vehicle laws. The driver, 19-year-old Nestor Gonzalez, failed to provide a registration and told McCrave he left it at home. While performing a warrant check, McCrave noticed three men in the backseat were not wearing seatbelts. When McCrave and Trooper Christopher Ryan, who responded for backup, removed the occupants from the car, they noticed a loaded Taurus .44 caliber revolver and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun under the rear seats.