Boston police say a late-night gun call on Huntington Avenue ended with two people under arrest, a handgun pulled from a bathroom cabinet and suspected crack cocaine discovered during booking.
Officers responded Friday night to 270 Huntington Avenue after a radio report of a person with a firearm. Inside the building, they say they recovered a handgun tucked inside a bathroom cabinet and took a man and a woman into custody. During the booking process, police say they found several loose pieces of a rock-like substance believed to be crack cocaine. The suspects, identified as 47-year-old Dawan Johnson and 44-year-old Melissa Lincks-Morpeau, face multiple firearms-related charges and are expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court.
Arrest and charges
According to Boston 25 News, officers were called to the address at about 11:27 p.m. Friday after a resident reported someone banging on their door and seeing a man with a gun in the hallway. When officers made contact, a man answered the door and a protective sweep of the apartment later turned up a firearm in a bathroom cabinet, the outlet reports.
Both Johnson and Lincks-Morpeau were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and unlawful possession of ammunition. Johnson was additionally charged with intimidation of police and possession of a Class B substance.
What the intimidation charge means
Massachusetts law treats threats or harassment aimed at police officers and others involved in investigations or court proceedings as a serious offense. Under Chapter 268, Section 13B of the General Laws, conduct that threatens, harasses or intimidates an officer, or is intended to interfere with an investigation or retaliate against someone involved, can be punished by up to 10 years in state prison in the most serious cases. The Massachusetts General Court provides the full statute.
Neighborhood context
Police records indicate that the Youth Violence Strike Force has previously operated at 270 Huntington Avenue while serving warrants, which the department notes shows the address has been a focus of earlier law enforcement activity, according to the Boston Police Department. The building sits near the border of Back Bay and the South End, an area known for heavy foot traffic and late-night activity.
Next steps
Both suspects are expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court, and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office will decide whether to pursue any additional charges. Boston 25 News also reports that Johnson had an outstanding warrant for using a motor vehicle without authority at the time of his arrest. The case remains under investigation.
