2 Arraigned In Connection With Shooting On Mystic Ave. In Somerville

SOMERVILLE, MA — Two people have been arraigned in connection with allegedly firing a gun multiple times at two victims who were seating inside a vehicle at the Mystic Activity Center on Mystic Avenue in Somerville in February, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a news release Wednesday.

Amanual Beshah, 19 of Malden, and a juvenile male were arraigned Tuesday on two counts of armed assault to murder, attempted assault and battery with a firearm, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, Ryan said. The juvenile was also charged with carrying a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm.

Both defendants were held pending 58a dangerousness hearings scheduled for Friday, May 6.

“We have been seeing a dangerous uptick in gun violence among young people,” Ryan said in a statement. “In this case the victims, who had no known connection to the defendants, were not struck, but could have very easily been injured or killed. This type of intentional discharge of weapons without any regard for public safety is putting neighbors, people’s homes and the entire community at risk.”

A preliminary investigation suggests that on Sunday, February 20 at approximately 2:45 a.m., Somerville police responded to Mystic Avenue in Somerville for a report of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers located two victims, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s. The victims reported that they had been seated in a parked vehicle when they observed several males walking towards the vehicle. Those individuals then opened fire at close range. The vehicle was struck multiple times but neither of the occupants was injured. The shooters subsequently fled the scene.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and examined forensic evidence and other information, which eventually led them to identify Amanual Beshah and the juvenile in connection with the shooting, according to the news release.

On Tuesday, police executed a search warrant at a Belmont residence. A 9mm handgun was located in that home.

Investigators believe that additional individuals were involved in this shooting and this remains an active and ongoing investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Somerville police, and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with any information about this case is asked to contact Somerville police at 617-625-1600.