Gunfire shattered the peace of a North Plymouth neighborhood early this morning as Joshua Fitzgerald, 25, of Plymouth, was taken into custody after a reported shooting spree that left two homes riddled with bullets. The incident, occurring around 1:47 AM on North Spooner Street, saw multiple rounds striking residential dwellings, one shot lodging into a family room ceiling and another through the window of a second home, as reported on the Plymouth Police Department's Facebook page.
The chaos reportedly stemmed from an argument and subsequent physical altercation outside of a Downtown bar between Fitzgerald and occupants of one of the targeted homes. Following the bar dispute, Fitzgerald drove to the residential area and opened fire. A second home was hit in the barrage, its inhabitants uninvolved in the earlier confrontation.
Plymouth officers, summoned by the sound of gunfire, rapidly responded to the scene. Their quick actions led to the location and arrest of Fitzgerald, who initially retreated inside his home and then out to the backyard before dropping a pistol and surrendering to police. "Thankfully none of the many occupants inside were injured," according to the official Plymouth Police Department statement.
Fitzgerald now faces serious charges including four counts of Assault to Murder, seven counts of Assault with a dangerous weapon, and other related offenses. Residents and the Plymouth PD can breathe a sigh of relief as Fitzgerald is held on $10,000 bail at Plymouth County Correctional Facility, away from the public he endangered with his violent outburst. Officers Liam Stone, Eric Decelle, and Sergeant Thomas DeLaura were praised for their professional and brave conduct in defusing the potentially deadly situation.
