NORTHAMPTON — A city man appeared in court Monday on charges that he allegedly shot a gun at another person near the Veterans’ Field skate park last Friday afternoon.
Benny Martinez, 37, pleaded not guilty in Northampton District Court to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, improperly storing a firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. He posted bail and is due back in court Oct. 19.
According to a police report written by Northampton Detective Sgt. Corey Robinson, police responded to the skate park around 4 p.m. on Friday for a report of a man who had fired a gun. At the park, Robinson said he spoke with a witness who reportedly had video of the incident.
Robinson wrote that the video showed a man matching the description of the suspect walk from the School Street area toward the park and was eventually confronted by two other people. After one person yelled something, the suspect can be seen “taking a shooting stance” in the video with a dark object in his hand before a single gunshot is heard and the suspect walks away, Robinson wrote.
One of the responding officers radioed Robinson and told him that he had located the person believed to be the victim. This person refused to acknowledge that he had been involved in any incident and was placed into custody as they had a warrant out for their arrest, Robinson wrote.
According to Robinson, the victim stated that he knew the suspect and that he had an issue with him the previous few days. The victim recounted the shooting, telling Robinson that he had called the suspect a profane name as he walked along the bike path and had told him to shoot when he saw the suspect point a gun at him.
Northampton police later discovered that Martinez, who had a license to carry, had his handgun taken away and his firearms license suspended in June after a domestic call in the city. He was given back his gun, ammunition and license to carry in July.
Robinson eventually contacted Martinez by finding his phone number in the department’s records. Martinez sat down with officers and told them that he had seen a person who he has been having issues with at the park. Martinez allegedly told police that he believed this person was coming at him with a knife so he “shot his gun to the ‘floor,’” according to Robinson. When shown the video that allegedly contradicts his story, Martinez defended his version of events and said the gunshot was intended to scare the person.
Martinez allowed police to search his house where they found an unsecured 9mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun as well as ammunition, which matched that of a shell casing found at Veterans’ Field. Martinez’s license to carry was suspended. Daniel F. Carey, of Northampton, is representing Martinez and declined to comment. Judge Jacklyn Connly presided the arraignment.
Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.