Officers Luis Lopez and James Murcko brought a Rubbermaid bucket back to police headquarters — filled with packages of marijuana for sale at the nearby Church Street South housing complex. Meanwhile, an Thanksgiving morning family argument led to gunshots on Ellsworth Avenue.
We could summarize those incidents for you. But police spokesman Officer David Hartman captured both incidents in vivid, detailed prose in a release. So we’ll turn it over to him:
“In the early evening hours [Wednesday], Officers Luis Lopez and James Murcko were walking the beat in the Church Street South public housing complex. Areas of the complex are notorious for illegal drug activity. Its high walls and maze-like terrain invite drug dealers who can spot approaching police officers.
“Officers Lopez and Murcko had a busy beginning to their tour of duty. They’d eyed a suspected dealer who eluded them and chased after two others. At about 10:30 p.m., they were walking by the ‘Best Mini Mart’ when they spotted the suspect they’d seen earlier. The man was standing alone by the closed market. He saw the approaching officers and with a startled look on his face, began walking away.
“That didn’t work. The officers were too close.
“Officer Lopez smelled the distinct odor of marijuana and asked the man why.
“‘Yes, I have a little bit of weed on me,’ said [a 29-year-old man from Carlisle Street]. He also didn’t live anywhere in Church Street South or its
neighboring complexes. When asked if he was a guest of a complex resident, [the suspect], who was standing amid several “No Trespassing” signs, couldn’t come up with anyone.
“The officers relieved [him] of a Rubbermaid container of marijuana. The contents were separated into 14 bags — packaged for sale. His cash was also confiscated. [He] was arrested and charged with trespassing and the commission of four drug crimes.”
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“At 3:15 a.m. [Thursday], Officer Salvatore Ricci and Sgt. Rich Miller responded to a domestic dispute at 59 Elsworth Ave. Once there, Officer Ricci spoke with [a man] who’d placed the call to police. He told the officer he’d been sleeping in his bedroom, when he awoke to the sound of his two sons arguing in the kitchen. He said he confronted them and told them to keep quiet. He said his [27-year-old] son,who lives with him began arguing with him. The argument took a turn for the worse, when [the son] revealed a silver handgun tucked into his waistband. The father said he ordered [the son] out of the house. Once in the rear yard, [the son] reportedly fired three shots toward the sky, before leaving with his pit bull.
“Sgt. Miller spotted [the son] walking his dog on Elsworth Avenue, and stopped him. He denied having anything to do with firing a gun, but the evidence found back at the house told a different story. As officers collected the spent 9mm shell casings from the yard, [the son], a convicted felon, was arrested and charged with the unlawful discharge of a firearm, threatening 2nd, reckless endangerment 1st and breach of peace 2nd. The gun hasn’t yet been recovered.”
