Earlier today, officers from the Anti-Crime Unit in Mattapan responded to gunfire detected by ShotSpotter technology. Around 2:55 AM, near 85 Astoria Street, they found Denzel Harper, a 37-year-old from Dorchester, along with a group of others.
Upon arrival, officers reported that their attention was drawn inadvertently to Harper, who seemed to attempt to shield the view of something from the police, according to a statement from the Boston Police Department. Moving closer, they spotted the butt of a gun sticking out from his pocket. Successfully cuffing Harper without incident, they secured a Republic Arms Patriot, which had a spent shell casing jammed in the chamber and five rounds remaining in the magazine.
Harper now faces multiple charges, including Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Discharging a Firefirearmthin 500 Feet of a Dwelling. The ShotSpotter system, which uses sensors to pinpoint the location of gunfire, had indicated that the shot had been fired nearby, in a field at the end of Astoria Street. This technology has been a crucial tool for allowing officers to quickly respond to incidents of gunfire.
As for Harper, with the firearm charges hanging over his head, he is set to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court. The Boston Police Department has not released further information regarding the motive or the circumstances leading up to the firearm's discharge. However, the quick response by the officers to the automated alert system likely prevented further incidents that night.
