An 18-year-old Brockton man has been arrested and faces multiple charges in the shooting of a 16-year-old girl at an Easton apartment complex earlier this month. Anthony Lopes, the suspect, was re-arrested on Monday and is now facing serious accusations, including assault and battery by discharging a firearm, armed robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, and possessing a high-capacity firearm, as per the Bristol County Attorney's Office. NBC Boston reported that Lopes had been previously held on $25,000 cash bail for initial gun possession charges and was due in Taunton District Court Monday afternoon to face the new charges.
The charges stem from a January 14 incident at the Avalon Easton complex, where authorities allege that Lopes shot the teenage girl in the face. Following the incident, she was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center, and then flown to a Boston hospital due to the life-threatening nature of her injuries, though her condition later stabilized. As of now, the girl remains in serious but stable condition, according to Easton police. In a connection to the case, Lopes was linked through a vehicle citation on an abandoned car near the area and initially arrested in Brockton with a firearm in his possession. Turn to 10 confirmed that Lopes was expected to be arraigned following his re-arrest.
While the investigation is ongoing, police have emphasized that this shooting was not a random act. Easton Police Chief Kevin Boone stated, "We don’t believe this was a random act, we believe this was targeted," hinting at a possible motive behind the act. The community has expressed shock and concern over the violence, with resident Brian Silva telling Hoodline, "Nothing has ever happened like this before where me and him feel unsafe."
After the shooting, local authorities and Massachusetts State Police were immediately involved in the search for the suspect, examining vehicles in Mansfield and Brockton thought to be connected to the crime. While an there is ongoing investigation and initial fears, Easton Public Schools has assured that there is no danger to the community regarding this isolated incident, and confirmed that the victim is not a student in the district. The case continues to develop as Lopes faces the weight of the new charges aggregated upon him.
