Springfield police officers who heard gunfire near Penacook Street chased two men into Van Horn Park, ending the pursuit with a loaded, high-capacity handgun, a bag of crack-cocaine, and arrests. Officers say the encounter involved a firearm and crack cocaine.
According to the Springfield Police Department, officers responded to reports of shots fired near Penacook Street and located evidence of gunfire in the area. Two men were seen running into Van Horn Park, and while one man was detained there, the other ran from officers before being caught after a brief foot pursuit. The detained man reportedly told officers he was carrying a firearm, and police say they recovered a large-capacity handgun capable of holding 12 rounds of ammunition from his waistband in the 400 block of Armory Street. Officers also say they recovered crack-cocaine during the encounter. The second man dropped a container of nitrous oxide as he ran, police say.
Firearm and Drug Allegations
The account describes firearm and drug allegations involving the two men.
Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 121, a large-capacity feeding device holds more than 10 rounds for a rifle but more than five rounds for a handgun. Section 10(m) addresses large-capacity feeding devices, while unlicensed firearm possession appears separately under Section 10, according to Mass.gov. The discharge charge carries far lighter exposure: Chapter 269, Section 12E classifies firing a gun within 500 feet of a dwelling or other building in use as a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in a house of correction or a $100 fine, per William Barabino, Attorney at Law. Possession of crack-cocaine with intent to distribute is a Class B felony under Chapter 94C, Section 32A carrying up to 10 years in prison, according to Equitas Law. The account also says one man dropped a container of nitrous oxide.
A Park Wedged Between Neighborhoods
Van Horn Park was the setting for the police encounter described above.
Part of a Broader Crackdown
The arrests followed the reported gunfire on Langdon Street. Springfield's Firearms Investigation Unit, created in July 2021 to target illegal handguns and active shooters, has recovered more than 710 illegal firearms since its founding, the department said on Facebook.
The account does not detail technology used during the Van Horn Park pursuit. Command staff have previously noted that a majority of people arrested with illegal firearms in Springfield are repeat offenders out on bail.
The Van Horn Park case follows a recently reported Springfield State Street arrest. Hoodline previously reported on a traffic stop with a toddler nearby that also produced high-capacity firearm and drug charges; the available account does not detail a separate stop. The available account does not provide a 2025 shots-fired statistic, describe an expansion of the city's Gun Safety and Violence Reduction Collaborative, or cite the Springfield Police Department's 2025 annual report. It remains unclear whether ballistic evidence from the Langdon Street scene connects Berrios or Cotto to any property damage or injuries, and the current custody status and bail conditions for both men have not been disclosed.
