Authorities responded to a gunfire alert in Worcester this week that led to two arrests on firearms charges. The Worcester Police Department, alongside the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit, were dispatched to Boys & Girls Club Way, following a ShotSpotter activation yesterday at approximately 5:40 PM, as per a press release issued by the department.
Officers on the scene uncovered a firearm and gathered additional evidence, while noting a bullet hole in a vehicle and the front window of an apartment. Tracing their steps through the neighborhood, officers then observed 22-year-old Willie Watson of Worcester running with his hands gripping his waistband. Despite his resistance and maneuvering through traffic, Watson was apprehended on Canterbury Street and found to be carrying a loaded, unlicensed firearm.
Watson has been charged with multiple firearms violations, including carrying and possession of a large capacity firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID Card, and resisting arrest among other charges. The investigation confirmed he does not possess a license to carry a firearm.
Another twist in the incident unfolded when Chance Toney, 20, arrived at an area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Running the thread of evidence back through the events of the day, it was revealed Toney had been present at the shooting and was also armed, bearing an unlicensed firearm. Toney faces charges of carrying a firearm without a license, possessing an untraceable firearm, and also had a warrant out for his arrest.
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported among the public during the volatile situation. Additional details are under review by the WPD’s Detective Bureau and the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit as they continue their investigation into the circumstances of the shooting and the involvement of the two men now facing charges.
