BELCHERTOWN — The third suspect accused in a shooting in South Hadley denied his involvement in the crime Thursday.
Robert VanHoy, 19, of Chicopee, pleaded not guilty to charges of home invasion, assault to rob with a firearm, assault and battery with a firearm and three firearm possession charges. He was held on $50,000 bail.
Joseph N. Massa, 18, of 191 Route 20 in Chester, and Dupree A. Hinds, 30, of Chicopee, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to numerous charges stemming from the same incident and were held on bail.
The alleged altercation occurred in a basement apartment on Amherst Road on Saturday afternoon, where the three suspects had gone to buy marijuana from the 29-year-old resident, according to court documents.
Police said Massa and another man picked up Hinds and VanHoy and then drove to the apartment. When the group arrived at the apartment, the fourth man stayed in the car while Massa, Hinds and VanHoy went in.
“Massa said that … he saw Hinds reach into his waist band and pull out a black gun,” South Hadley Detective Trudy Romanovicz wrote.
The alleged victim, who had his phone in his hand, told the men he would call police. Then Hinds shot him, according to court documents.
The man was shot thrice in the abdomen, according to court documents. He reportedly still manage to punch Hinds before the group ran out of the apartment.
He was reported to be in stable condition Wednesday by South Hadley Police.
VanHoy corroborated Massa’s account that Hinds brought and fired the gun, according to police.
As part of the new charge, VanHoy had bail revoked on a separate charge out of Chicopee District Court, according to court documents. He is scheduled to return to court Jan. 4.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.