MSP Trooper, New Bedford Officers Apprehend Suspect With Gun Outside Courthouse

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An alert Trooper from the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit and several New Bedford Police Officers on Tuesday apprehended a male teenager carrying a loaded handgun as he stood in front of the district courthouse. A second male suspect who was with the teenager was also arrested.

The arrests came after the MSP Gang Unit Trooper, who was sitting in his unmarked cruiser outside New Bedford District Court while waiting to testify in an ongoing trial, observed four males walking back and forth in the vicinity of the courthouse on Kempton Street and two vehicles parked nearby. The Trooper watched for about 20 minutes as the men repeatedly looked around them in all directions as if monitoring their surroundings or looking for someone.

Eventually, the Trooper saw one of the group of four men, later identified as MANNY J. ANDREWS, 26, of New Bedford, walk away from the group. He then met up with another person, later identified as ALANTE BROWN, 18, of New Bedford, near the corner of Hill and Kempton streets. BROWN was wearing a green bandana; MSP Gang Unit members recognize the color green as a sign of a certain gang affiliation in the New Bedford area.

The Trooper observed ANDREWS and BROWN walk to one of the vehicles the group of men had been hanging around earlier. As the Trooper watched, ANDREWS reached into the back seat and appeared to retrieve something, which he then handed to BROWN.

The Trooper then observed BROWN attach a fanny pack to his waist and pull his sweatshirt over it, all the while looking all around in a suspicious manner. As the two then walked to the front of the courthouse, the Trooper observed BROWN adjust and check his waistline more than once, an action that the Trooper recognized from his training and experience as consistent with someone possessing a concealed firearm.

The Trooper contacted New Bedford Officers who began responding to the scene. The Trooper then got out of his cruiser and walked up to the front of the courthouse, where BROWN was now standing next to the front entrance.

Two New Bedford Officers reached BROWN first and when they tried to pat check the suspect, he tried to run away.

The New Bedford Officers and the Trooper wrestled BROWN to the ground. Inside the fanny pack they found a black Smith & Wesson .380 Bodyguard handgun with one round in the chamber and six in the magazine.

Once BROWN was in custody, police observed ANDREWS walking away from the incident and took him into custody as well. The other males who were part of the initial group with ANDREWS were identified and released. The Nissan Altima from which ANDREWS had seemingly retrieved an item was found to be registered to him.

Subsequent investigation revealed that the gun had been reported stolen in Wareham.

ANDREWS and BROWN were transported to New Bedford Police Department where they were booked on charges of unlawful carrying of a firearm; unlawful carrying of a loaded firearm; and receiving stolen property. After being booked, they were transported back to the same courthouse where they had been arrested, this time for their own arraignments.

About Michael Silvia

Served 20 years in the United States Air Force. Owner of New Bedford Guide.

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