Two 21-year-old Pawtucket men are facing attempted-murder and weapons charges after police say they were behind a shooting last month that left a man with a gunshot wound to the chest. Kavon Almeida and Jaevon Gomes were taken into custody in connection with the Sept. 24 shooting on Mineral Spring Avenue, and the victim has since been released from the hospital after being treated for his injuries.
According to Patch, Almeida and Gomes were arrested Wednesday morning after police identified them as being responsible for the shooting. The men now face charges of assault with intent to commit attempted murder, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, firing a firearm in a compact area, felony conspiracy, conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, per the same outlet's reporting.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, WJAR reports. He has since been released from care, the station notes, though further details about the circumstances of the attack have not been made public.
Search Warrants Executed as Investigation Continues
Pawtucket police officers executed search warrants at two locations as part of the investigation, according to the same WJAR report. Investigators said the case remains open, and additional arrests may be made as the inquiry continues.
Under Rhode Island law, assault with intent to commit a specified felony such as murder falls under General Laws § 11-5-1, which carries a potential prison term of not more than 20 years and not less than one year upon conviction. The firearm charge tied to committing a crime of violence falls under a separate statute, General Laws § 11-47-3.2, titled Using a firearm when committing a crime of violence.
A Second Shooting Months Earlier on the Same Street
This is not the first shooting investigators have worked through on Mineral Spring Avenue this year. Back in April, a gunshot rang out in the parking lot of the McDonald's at 255 Mineral Spring Ave., striking a vehicle but injuring no one, according to the Providence Journal. That earlier case led to searches on April 7 at homes on Lincoln and Columbus avenues and resulted in two 18-year-olds being charged with weapons violations, including firing a firearm in a compact area, vandalism, carrying a pistol without a license and disorderly conduct. There is no indication the two cases are connected, and they are being treated as separate incidents.
Pawtucket has repeatedly appeared among the Rhode Island communities with the highest violent-crime rates, alongside Central Falls, Providence and Woonsocket, according to a public-safety data page maintained by the Rhode Island Department of Health. No court dates, attorney information or custody status for Almeida or Gomes had been released as of Wednesday's report.
