Chelsea police officers responded Saturday, November 7, to a call for shots fired near 13 and 24 Blossom Street, setting off a foot chase that ended with a discarded gun found under a parked car and a 48-year-old Chelsea man in handcuffs. One person was treated for superficial injuries to both legs.
According to a statement from the Chelsea Police Department, initial reports indicated several males were involved in an altercation involving a firearm. Witnesses at the scene directed officers toward the direction in which the suspect had fled, and officers located him running on Eden Street toward Heard Street, where they pursued and stopped him.
Firearm Recovered Beneath Parked Vehicle
Officers reported recovering a discarded firearm underneath a parked motor vehicle near where the suspect was stopped, the department's statement said. Police arrested Omar Arias Soto, 48, of Chelsea, in connection with the incident, per the same account.
Massachusetts law generally subjects a person who discharges a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling or other building in use, without the owner's or occupant's consent, to punishment, according to the text of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269, Section 12E. The statute provides for a fine of $50 to $100, imprisonment for up to three months, or both.
One Person Treated for Leg Injuries
One individual sustained superficial injuries to both legs and was transported to Cambridge Health Alliance for medical evaluation and treatment, the department's statement said. Soto was arraigned in Chelsea District Court on Monday, November 9.
Chief Credits Officers for Quick Response
Chief Houghton praised the officers for quickly locating the suspect and safely recovering the firearm, the statement said.
The chief also said the officers' work made the neighborhood safer and made detectives' subsequent work easier, according to the release. Chelsea police detectives are continuing their investigation into the incident.
