Springfield Police Officers Arrest Shooting Suspect, Seize Firearm Wednesday Night
Springfield, Mass. — At approximately 10:35 p.m. Springfield Police Officers arrested 25-year-old Joel Laporte and seized a firearm after responding to a shooting inside a Central Street apartment.
Around 10:30 p.m. officers responded to an apartment on the 0-100 block of Central Street for a report of a shooting. When officers arrived they located Laporte being held down by two men near the apartment’s open back door. The two men complied with officers commands and alleged that Laporte was responsible for the shooting. Officers located a firearm and after investigating placed Laporte under arrest. Officers also located an adult male gunshot victim and provided first aid before he was transported to Baystate with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.
Laporte, known to the victim, is alleged to have followed him into his apartment and shot him. After the shooting the two men tackled Laporte and held him down until officers arrived.
25-year-old Joel Laporte of Springfield is charged with:
- Firearm-Armed Assault to Murder
- Assault & Battery by Discharging a Firearm
- Discharging a Firearm within 500 feet of a Building
- Carrying a Firearm without a License
- Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License
- Possession of Ammunition without a FID Card
- Home Invasion (10 Counts)
