New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Jon Zell, the 18-year-old man arrested Friday in connection to an ongoing homicide investigation in New Bedford, has now formally been charged with murder and a litany of other felonies.
The defendant will be arraigned Monday morning in New Bedford District Court on the following charges:
-Murder
-carrying an illegal firearm
-carrying a loaded illegal firearm
-discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a building
-10 counts of armed assault with intent to murder
New Bedford Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office, and Homicide Unit prosecutors are actively investigating the case which took place Friday morning in The City of New Bedford.
New Bedford Police received 911 calls regarding shots fired on Lafrance Street at around 10:21 a.m. Friday. When officers arrived on scene, they located one of two victims and rushed him to St. Luke’s Hospital. That victim, who was later identified as 40-year-old New Bedford resident, Angel Cruz, was later pronounced deceased.
A second shooting victim was able to get into a vehicle and attempted to drive to the hospital, but crashed in the area of Linden and County streets. That victim, a 32-year-old New Bedford man, was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital before being transported to Rhode Island Hospital. This victim, who is not being identified at this time, is listed in stable condition as of Sunday afternoon.
While police were investigating the double-shooting, they received a description of the shooter. About 45 minutes after the double-shooting, New Bedford Police officers came upon a man matching the shooter’s description near the corner of Penniman and Reynolds streets. When officers approached the defendant, he began firing a handgun at them. After firing all the bullets in the gun, police were able to subdue him and take him into custody.
No officers were injured during the incident and none of the officers returned fire on the suspect before getting him into custody.
Tomorrow’s arraignment will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James Powderly.
