A gun battle that erupted on Springfield's North End Sunday evening left 61 spent shell casings scattered across two streets, damaged two homes and a car, and ended with four city men under arrest on dozens of combined charges. Police say officers recovered four firearms from the scene and the suspects, including a loaded ghost gun capable of holding 21 rounds.
According to MassLive, the shooting began around 7:05 p.m. Sunday, and multiple ShotSpotter activations near the 100 block of Jefferson Avenue alerted officers to the gunfire. Officers responding to the area found evidence of shooting on both the 0-100 block of Calhoun Street and the 100 block of Jefferson Avenue.
A vehicle on Calhoun Street was shot multiple times, with detectives recovering 16 rounds of ammunition inside the car, per the department's Facebook post. Two homes on Jefferson Avenue were also struck during the exchange of gunfire, MassLive reports, citing police. In total, officers found 61 shell casings split between Calhoun Street and Jefferson Avenue, a tally also confirmed by Western Mass News.
Chases, a Ghost Gun, and an Officer Scuffle
Officers located Keyshawn Watson, 23, and Giovanni Ramirez, 24, both of Springfield, near Dwight Street and Grove Street, according to MassLive, citing police. Watson allegedly tried to flee before he was arrested on the 0-100 block of Harriet Street, and officers say they found a loaded firearm inside his jacket. Ramirez, police say, dropped a firearm on the 1500 block of Dwight Street before officers recovered it nearby.
That recovered weapon turned out to be a loaded ghost gun — a firearm with no serial number — capable of holding 21 rounds of ammunition, Western Mass News reports. Watson ended up facing nine charges in all, including carrying a loaded firearm without a license, two counts of attempted assault and battery with a firearm, and three counts of assault and battery on a police officer, per the station's report. Ramirez was charged with five offenses, among them two counts of intentional or reckless discharge of a firearm that strikes a dwelling and possession of a large-capacity firearm during commission of a felony.
Two More Arrests on Main Street
Assisting officers stopped five people along the 3100 block of Main Street and took Anthony Espaillat, 18, and Jaiden Thomas, 22, both of Springfield, into custody, according to MassLive, citing police. Thomas reportedly tried to flee and was caught after a foot pursuit, with officers recovering a loaded firearm from his waistband. Espaillat also allegedly attempted to flee before he was stopped; officers say they found a large-capacity firearm and a magazine on him.
Espaillat was hit with nine charges, the same number as Watson, while Thomas was charged with eight offenses, Western Mass News reports. Espaillat's charges include carrying a loaded large-capacity firearm without a license, while Thomas faces counts including carrying a loaded large-capacity firearm without a license and malicious damage to a motor vehicle. The officers involved were assigned to Squad C, operating under the direction of Lieutenant Ricardo Viruet, per the department's statement.
Charges Tied to Firing Near Homes
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, Section 12E provides that discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling or other building in use — without the owner's or legal occupant's consent — is punishable by a fine or imprisonment, according to the Massachusetts Legislature. Ramirez faces a charge of intentional or reckless discharge of a firearm that strikes a dwelling. Watson, Ramirez, Espaillat and Thomas also face other counts, including attempted assault and battery with a firearm and resisting arrest, per Western Mass News.
Part of a Larger Pattern of Gun Seizures
The North End shootout adds to what has become a routine, if alarming, backdrop in Springfield. Police seized 347 guns citywide in 2025, just one fewer than in 2023, and the department has taken more than 310 guns off the streets annually for four straight years, according to MassLive's earlier reporting on the city's crime data.
