Arrests Made in Tuesday Night's Shooting at Ramsay Park

Police have arrested two men for allegedly opening gunfire on Tuesday night at Ramsay Park in the South End, injuring one person, according to the Boston Police Department.

Kevin Washington, 32, of Brockton, is charged with opening fire at a group of people near the park, striking one female victim in the arm, according to the Boston Police Department. 

Graciano Aponte of the South End is charged with firearms offenses that occured in Ramsay Park.

Police said that around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Boston Police officers were conducting an investigation in the area of the 600 block of Shawmut Ave, an area under close watch for neighborhood complaints of drug activity and crime.

Officers said they observed a white motor vehicle come to an abrupt stop in front of 620 Shawmut Ave, and an individual - described as a black male wearing a black t-shirt and black sweat pants - exited the motor vehicle and opened several rounds of gun fire in the direction of a group of people gathered in front of Shawmut Liquors.

Police said they immediately ordered the suspect to drop the firearm. Upon hearing and seeing the officers, the suspect took off on foot. After a lengthy foot pursuit, police were able to catch up to and apprehend the suspect in the area of 1920 Washington Street.

While pursuing the suspect on foot through Ramsey Park, officers said they observed the suspect discard a firearm. Police say that's when Aponte was seen picking up the gun and hiding it in a paper bag near Washington Street.

Washington was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, assault & battery by means of a dangerous Weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling. He was arraigned and held on $100,000 cash bail.

Aponte was charged as a level three armed career criminal based on prior convictions for robbery and drug distribution according to the District Attorney's office. He was held on $100,000 cash bail. 

[Editor's Note: Information in this article was obtained through the Boston Police Department and the BPDnews.com blog.]