Springfield police say a routine afternoon patrol turned into a high-stakes stop on Monday, with five people arrested, a stolen car recovered and a fully automatic machine gun pulled off the street. Three adults and two juveniles were detained, and the vehicle was returned to its owner, according to the Springfield Police Department. Officers say the gun they recovered had been modified with a sear-selector switch so it could fire fully automatically and was loaded with 24 rounds.
How Police Say The Stop Unfolded
In a statement posted by the Springfield Police Department, officers say they first spotted the reported stolen vehicle on Marion Street just after 1:25 p.m. A short time later, they saw five people around the same car on Amherst Street. Police say three people appeared to be taking off the license plate, while another had what looked like a gun tucked into the pocket of a sweatshirt.
Officers tried to stop the vehicle, but the group allegedly took off. The car was soon found again near the 300 block of Franklin Street. At that point, police say all five people bailed out and ran.
One of them, identified by police as 18-year-old Xavier Gonzalez of Holyoke, allegedly tried to get away while clutching what appeared to be a firearm. Officers say they recovered a gun loaded with 24 rounds and outfitted with a sear-selector switch that made it fully automatic.
Who Was Arrested And What They Are Charged With
According to Western Mass News, the five people arrested were 18-year-old Xavier Gonzalez of Holyoke, 19-year-old Neashawn Lopez of Holyoke, 23-year-old Aiden Laboy of Holyoke, a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old.
Gonzalez faces a slate of weapon-related charges, including carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded large-capacity firearm without a license, possession of a machine gun and possession of a loaded machine gun, along with a charge of receiving a stolen motor vehicle, the outlet reports. Lopez and Laboy are also charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle. The names and specific charges for the two juveniles are not being released because of their ages.
Legal Implications
Federal law sharply limits private possession and transfer of machine guns under 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), as detailed by the ATF. Massachusetts law piles on additional restrictions. Under Massachusetts Legislature rules, machine gun licenses are issued only in narrow circumstances, such as for certified firearms instructors or bona fide collectors. That means unlawful possession of a machine gun can bring serious felony exposure at both the state and federal levels.
Police say the car was returned to its owner and the case remains under investigation. The adults arrested are expected to be booked and arraigned in Springfield District Court. In its online statement, the department also shared photos of the seized firearm and asked anyone with information to reach out.
This is not the first time Springfield officers have confronted this kind of firepower. In December 2024, officers seized an AK-style rifle, a machine gun and a handgun from a vehicle during a separate investigation, according to reporting by WCVB. Taken together, those cases highlight an ongoing push by the city’s firearms units to get illegal high-capacity weapons off local streets.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Springfield Police Department or Crime Stoppers. For the full statement and images related to Monday’s incident, see the Springfield Police Department post.
