A co worker was on jury duty at the time. She said she didn't hear a thing.
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_3909180
Bullets fly outside courthouse
By Kyle Alspach
Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG -- Police arrested two men for firing shots at people outside Fitchburg District Court Tuesday in an alleged attempt to intimidate a witness.
Police Chief Edward Cronin said a gunman in a car fired several shots at "individuals" who stood on the sidewalk across the street from the courthouse, and then the vehicle drove off.
The shooting took place around 1 p.m. Nobody was hurt, but the incident terrified people in the area and prompted one city councilor to call for more police officers in Fitchburg.
Ward 2 City Councilor Norman Boisvert said he believes some criminals have become "fearless" in Fitchburg, and that more police could help change this.
"If they're going to be doing this type of stuff next to the courthouse, it just tells me that they fear no reprisal from the police," Boisvert said. "I think maybe it speaks to the fact that we do need more police."
Police later arrested the two suspects, Irvin M. Andrews, 23, of Leominster, and Cardea L. Wells, 22, of Fitchburg, after tracking them to Andrews' home in Leominster.
Police charged both men with assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, as well as intimidating a witness.
Cronin declined to elaborate on the witness intimidation charge, saying only that "the individuals that were shot at were at the court today."
Attorney Leonard Staples said the shooting targeted a witness who was set to testify against a client of his, Myron Vacca of Fitchburg.
Vacca, 23, had been scheduled for a probable cause hearing Tuesday in Fitchburg on several charges.
"One of the intended victims (of the shooting) was a witness against my client," said Staples, an Ashburnham lawyer.
The hearing was continued to July 13. Vacca is charged with three counts of assault to murder with a firearm, possession of a firearm without a license and discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.
A spokesperson for the state court system, Joan Kenney, said she couldn't recall a shooting having ever taken place outside a courthouse in Massachusetts.
Patricia Murray, of Gardner, said she witnessed the shooting Tuesday as she sat on the courthouse steps.
Murray described seeing a "confrontation" between a man in a car and two people standing nearby.
"The guy (in the car) put his arm out the window, shot three times and drove off," said Murray, 22. "I was scared. Definitely scared."
Undrea Ortwein of Fitchburg said she was inside the clerk's office in the court when the shooting took place.
"It was chaotic. I saw security guards running around, saying there were shots fired outside," said Ortwein, 25. "It was just like something out of a movie."
Police officials spent close to an hour searching for bullets in the area around the intersection of Elm Street and Wallace Avenue.
Cronin called it "disturbing" that the shooting took place in daylight outside the court, but said he didn't believe it had to do with a lack of police presence.
Cronin said three police officers were in the court at the time and two others were walking on Main Street during the day.
"I think it's an indication of what's going on in society today. It's a lack of respect for the judicial system," Cronin said. "They're acting without conscience. They're bold and they're brazen."
Cronin said that other than the intended victims, no one was in the line of fire.
Though the charges currently don't reflect an intent to murder, Cronin said this might change as the investigation proceeds.
Andrews, of 21 Greenwood St., Leominster, and Wells, of 227 Rollstone St., Fitchburg, will appear in Fitchburg District Court today, Cronin said.
Cronin acknowledged the incident sends a bad message to people who might testify in the future, but stressed that the arrest of the suspects was speedy.
Fitchburg District Court is located on the corner of Elm Street and Wallace Avenue, just yards from Main Street.
The court is a block from Academy Middle School, across the street from the YMCA and less than a mile from the city police station. The area is often busy with foot traffic.
The Fitchburg Police Department has 83 officers, but officials plan to bring that figure up to 92 by the end of the year.
Tuesday's shooting was the second to occur near the downtown during daylight hours this year. A gunman shot an 18-year-old Fitchburg man on Blossom Street in February.
Aaron Wasserman contributed to this report.
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_3909180
Bullets fly outside courthouse
By Kyle Alspach
Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG -- Police arrested two men for firing shots at people outside Fitchburg District Court Tuesday in an alleged attempt to intimidate a witness.
Police Chief Edward Cronin said a gunman in a car fired several shots at "individuals" who stood on the sidewalk across the street from the courthouse, and then the vehicle drove off.
The shooting took place around 1 p.m. Nobody was hurt, but the incident terrified people in the area and prompted one city councilor to call for more police officers in Fitchburg.
Ward 2 City Councilor Norman Boisvert said he believes some criminals have become "fearless" in Fitchburg, and that more police could help change this.
"If they're going to be doing this type of stuff next to the courthouse, it just tells me that they fear no reprisal from the police," Boisvert said. "I think maybe it speaks to the fact that we do need more police."
Police later arrested the two suspects, Irvin M. Andrews, 23, of Leominster, and Cardea L. Wells, 22, of Fitchburg, after tracking them to Andrews' home in Leominster.
Police charged both men with assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, as well as intimidating a witness.
Cronin declined to elaborate on the witness intimidation charge, saying only that "the individuals that were shot at were at the court today."
Attorney Leonard Staples said the shooting targeted a witness who was set to testify against a client of his, Myron Vacca of Fitchburg.
Vacca, 23, had been scheduled for a probable cause hearing Tuesday in Fitchburg on several charges.
"One of the intended victims (of the shooting) was a witness against my client," said Staples, an Ashburnham lawyer.
The hearing was continued to July 13. Vacca is charged with three counts of assault to murder with a firearm, possession of a firearm without a license and discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.
A spokesperson for the state court system, Joan Kenney, said she couldn't recall a shooting having ever taken place outside a courthouse in Massachusetts.
Patricia Murray, of Gardner, said she witnessed the shooting Tuesday as she sat on the courthouse steps.
Murray described seeing a "confrontation" between a man in a car and two people standing nearby.
"The guy (in the car) put his arm out the window, shot three times and drove off," said Murray, 22. "I was scared. Definitely scared."
Undrea Ortwein of Fitchburg said she was inside the clerk's office in the court when the shooting took place.
"It was chaotic. I saw security guards running around, saying there were shots fired outside," said Ortwein, 25. "It was just like something out of a movie."
Police officials spent close to an hour searching for bullets in the area around the intersection of Elm Street and Wallace Avenue.
Cronin called it "disturbing" that the shooting took place in daylight outside the court, but said he didn't believe it had to do with a lack of police presence.
Cronin said three police officers were in the court at the time and two others were walking on Main Street during the day.
"I think it's an indication of what's going on in society today. It's a lack of respect for the judicial system," Cronin said. "They're acting without conscience. They're bold and they're brazen."
Cronin said that other than the intended victims, no one was in the line of fire.
Though the charges currently don't reflect an intent to murder, Cronin said this might change as the investigation proceeds.
Andrews, of 21 Greenwood St., Leominster, and Wells, of 227 Rollstone St., Fitchburg, will appear in Fitchburg District Court today, Cronin said.
Cronin acknowledged the incident sends a bad message to people who might testify in the future, but stressed that the arrest of the suspects was speedy.
Fitchburg District Court is located on the corner of Elm Street and Wallace Avenue, just yards from Main Street.
The court is a block from Academy Middle School, across the street from the YMCA and less than a mile from the city police station. The area is often busy with foot traffic.
The Fitchburg Police Department has 83 officers, but officials plan to bring that figure up to 92 by the end of the year.
Tuesday's shooting was the second to occur near the downtown during daylight hours this year. A gunman shot an 18-year-old Fitchburg man on Blossom Street in February.
Aaron Wasserman contributed to this report.
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