Malden Man Charged in Chinatown Quadruple Shooting

BOSTON, Aug. 18, 2014—A man on federal probation for a firearms charge was held on $1 million cash bail at his arraignment today on charges that he shot four people in Chinatown early Sunday morning, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

Boston Municipal Court Judge Thomas Horgan imposed twice the bail recommended for KAREEM SMITH (D.O.B. 4/25/85) of Malden by Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Weinstein, chief of the DA’s Gun Prosecution Task Force. Smith is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as a second offense, carrying a loaded firearm, discharging a firearm within 500’ of a building, and four counts each of armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Weinstein told the court that Boston Police officers raced toward the sound of as many as 15 gunshots in the area of Essex and Edinboro streets just before 3:00 yesterday morning, finding dozens of people running and taking cover from the barrage.

Four men were injured. They were a 22-year-old man struck in the chest, a 25-year-old man struck in the buttocks, a 24-year-old man struck in the leg, and a 27-year-old man struck in the abdomen. They were transported to Boston Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital. All four are expected to survive.

Based on witness statements developed in the minutes and hours following the shootings, Boston Police arrested Smith later that morning. A Boston Police K-9 unit recovered a 5.7 semiautomatic Fabrique Nationale handgun on nearby Oxford Street and seized it for ballistics testing.

Smith was represented today by attorney Arnold Cohen. He will return to court on Sept. 17.

 

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.