BELCHERTOWN — The second man wanted in connection with an assault that shut down the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus last month will be held without bail until a dangerousness hearing on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Shawn Wyatt, 22, of Framingham pleaded not guilty in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown to charges of armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery. The descriptions of the charges were amended to indicate the weapon was a BB gun, not a handgun as originally believed, according to court records.
On Feb. 18, Wyatt and another man — William McKeown, 19, of Framingham — allegedly entered a UMass dorm and after a disagreement during a drug deal, struck a student with a BB gun, according to police. UMass officials responded by ordering a campuswide lockdown.
McKeown, who pleaded not guilty to the same charges facing Wyatt, was released from jail on Feb. 24 after posting $7,500 cash bail and remains under GPS monitoring and house arrest. He is due back in court April 11.
Attorney John Drake of Northampton, who was appointed to represent Wyatt on Wednesday, said he hopes to get his client released on similar conditions. He said he asked for the dangerousness hearing to be held Tuesday so Wyatt’s family can attend.
Stephanie McFeeters can be reached at smcfeeters@gazettenet.com.