A gunshot in the stairwell of a Lions Avenue apartment building sent a 24-year-old man to the hospital with a wound to his left hand on Aug. 10, and two months later, Hudson police say they've made an arrest in the case. Police allege the man accidentally shot himself while handling a handgun, then tried to hide evidence connected to the incident before investigators tracked him down.
According to the Boston Herald, Hudson police officers responded to the Lions Avenue apartment building around 2 a.m. after reports of a loud bang and an injured man outside the building. Officers found Heriberto Diaz bleeding from a gunshot wound to his left hand, and he was transported to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua for treatment, the outlet reports. Separately, the Nashua Telegraph reports that officers responded to the scene at 2:08 a.m. on Aug. 10 after a report of a gunshot.
The Boston Herald identifies Diaz as a 24-year-old Lowell man, while the Nashua Telegraph's reporting identifies him as being from Hudson — the two outlets differ on his hometown, and nothing in the available record resolves which is accurate.
Investigators Say Evidence Pointed to a Fired Round
At the scene, Hudson police located evidence of a firearm discharge in a common hallway, per the Boston Herald's account, and officers observed wall and floor damage consistent with a fired round. Investigators say they built the case against Diaz through witness interviews, physical evidence analysis, and search warrants executed at two apartments, according to the Hudson Police Department.
Police allege Diaz discharged a handgun while handling it in a stairwell, injuring himself in the process. Investigators further allege that Diaz attempted to conceal evidence connected to the shooting, the outlet's reporting states. Hudson police say they ultimately recovered a firearm along with other evidence tied to the case.
Arrest Warrant Brings Multiple Charges
Hudson police obtained an arrest warrant charging Diaz with one count of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and two counts of falsifying physical evidence, according to the Boston Herald's reporting. He was arrested on Oct. 15 at the Billerica House of Corrections and was held pending extradition to Hudson, New Hampshire, on the charges.
Diaz was booked at the Hudson Police Department, and a bail commissioner set his bail at $200 cash. He was released after posting that bail, the outlet reports. Diaz is scheduled to appear in Hillsborough County Superior Court, Southern District, in Nashua at 1 p.m. on Nov. 24.
