HOLYOKE — A juvenile arrested following a shooting incident at the Holyoke Mall last Friday is being held until a dangerousness hearing next week, a judge ruled in Springfield Juvenile Court on Monday.
According to police, the juvenile exchanged gunfire with police outside of the Round1 Bowling and Arcade at the Holyoke Mall late Friday afternoon. Police approached the juvenile after being alerted by mall security that he had been suspected of shoplifting, according Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan at a press conference the following day.
“When the officers approached the suspect by the entrance to the (Round1) store the suspect produced a firearm. Officers and the suspect exchanged gunfire. The officer was not struck, the suspect was shot in the leg,” Keenan said.
After receiving medical aid from Holyoke officers, the juvenile was transported to Baystate Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening, and a firearm was recovered at the scene of the incident. The juvenile was placed under arrest after receiving treatment at the hospital, and was arraigned virtually on Monday.
At the arraignment, the juvenile was held without right to bail based on a dangerousness detainer, the Hampden County district attorney’s office said in a statement. Probable cause was found, and a full hearing on dangerousness is scheduled for Monday.
Additionally, bail was set at $100,000 cash, without prejudice. The Hampden DA’s office intends to seek a youthful offender indictment, which allows for a young person between 14 and 18 years old who is alleged of a felon to be tried as an adult.
“This harrowing situation could have ended much worse,” said Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni in a statement. “The juvenile’s alleged behavior is appalling and we will seek accountability to the fullest extent of the law. We are grateful that no innocent people or officers were injured.”
The incident remains under investigation by the Holyoke Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
