A backpack stuffed into the bushes behind a Walnut Street home held an AK-47-style pistol, a loaded high-capacity magazine and $1,800 in cash, and Lowell police say the trail from that bag led them straight to an 18-year-old they already knew. Alorang Meas of 38 Walnut St. was arraigned on firearm and ammunition charges on August 7 in Lowell District Court, and a judge has since ordered him held without bail for 120 days while he awaits a dangerousness hearing.
The gunfire erupted shortly after 1 a.m. on July 24 at the intersection of Gorham and Walnut streets, according to the Lowell Sun. Police found 15 spent shell casings scattered across the roadway at that intersection, a mix that included eight 7.62-caliber rounds, seven 9mm rounds and four .45-caliber casings recovered separately in the 40 block of Walnut Street. Two vehicles were initially found struck by gunfire, and police discovered a third vehicle damaged by bullets hours later.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed two males riding e-bikes toward the intersection just before the shooting started, the Sun's report notes. One rider, wearing a gray hoodie and black sweatpants, appeared to be manipulating a heavy object in his waistband. As the pair fled, another group riding black e-bikes opened fire down Walnut Street.
A Backpack, a Hall Pass and a Trail Back to Walnut Street
Officers located a black Nike backpack stuffed into bushes behind 38 and 40 Walnut St., along with a dirt-bike-style e-bike abandoned nearby with its motor still running. Inside the backpack, police said they found the Draco pistol, the loaded magazine — which had one round in the chamber — the cash, and a Greater Lowell Technical High School hall pass dated 2025 and marked with the letter A. A second backpack containing clothing was also recovered.
Investigators say they identified Meas as connected to the scene through a combination of surveillance footage, items found in the backpack and prior encounters with him. Police said that footage from a business on Willie Street showed Meas wearing the same distinctive Nike backpack two days before the shooting. Police also said Instagram photos showed Meas posing with the same style of Draco pistol that was recovered on Walnut Street.
A juvenile acquaintance told police he dropped off a white e-bike at Meas' home the night before the shooting, after exchanging messages with him. Police said that white e-bike matched the one seen in surveillance footage before the gunfire and was later found abandoned near the scene. Police took Meas into custody without incident at 38 Walnut St.; he told detectives he wanted to consult his attorney before speaking further and declined consent to a search of his phone without doing so. Officers seized two iPhones from inside the residence.
What Meas Is Charged With — and Why the Exposure Is Steep
Meas was charged with possession of a firearm without a Firearm Identification Card, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, Section 10(a), carrying a firearm without a License to Carry or FID card is a felony carrying a mandatory minimum of 18 months in a house of correction and up to five years in state prison, according to Rudolf Smith Law's outline of the statute. Separately, unlawful possession of a large-capacity magazine under Chapter 269, Section 10(m) carries its own mandatory minimum of 2.5 years in state prison, with a maximum of 10 years.
The Draco pistol found in the bag is treated under Massachusetts law as a restricted assault weapon and large-capacity firearm because it is a semi-automatic handgun capable of accepting detachable high-capacity magazines, per legislative filings tracked by the Massachusetts General Court. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's ruling in Commonwealth v. Guardado now requires prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant lacked a valid license — a higher bar than the state's prior approach, as detailed by the Serpa Law Office.
Prior Case and a 2025 Switch Allegation
Meas turned 18 in February and was on pretrial release in an unrelated juvenile case at the time of his arrest. The Middlesex District Attorney's Office requested revocation of that juvenile release, arguing Meas posed a threat to public safety. Judge William Travaun Bailey granted the request and ordered him held without bail for 120 days pending the dangerousness hearing. That authority stems from Chapter 276, Section 58A, which lets prosecutors seek pretrial detention for felony firearm offenses if clear and convincing evidence shows no release conditions would protect the public, and Section 58B, which allows courts to revoke release when there is probable cause a defendant committed a new crime while under supervision, according to the Massachusetts Legislature's statutory text.
Police also reported that Meas has a lengthy history involving shootings throughout Lowell, and they alleged he is a suspected member of the Loyalty Over Everything Crips gang. Police said he was found in a separate 2025 incident with a Glock handgun fitted with an illegal switch — a modification that, under Massachusetts law referenced by Mass.gov, converts a semi-automatic handgun into a prohibited machine gun and can expose an offender to penalties as severe as life imprisonment. These remain allegations that prosecutors would need to prove in court. Meas' attorney, Kelly Norton, was not immediately available for comment, the Sun reported.
Investigation Continues, No Other Arrests
No other arrests have been made in connection with the Walnut Street shooting, and the incident remains under investigation. It is not yet known whether the second group of e-bike riders who opened fire as the first pair fled will be identified, or how the seized iPhones and Instagram records will factor into the case. Meas is scheduled to return to court for a probable cause hearing on the firearm charges on September 3.
The shooting adds to a string of gun violence that has rattled Lowell neighborhoods in recent months. Just weeks earlier, gunfire tore through the Lowell Highlands on Burtt Street, striking parked cars and jolting residents awake overnight. Lowell Police launched a public crime dashboard in December 2025 that displays neighborhood incident and arrest data, part of an effort to increase transparency around shootings like the one on Walnut Street.
