Store owner in violence-prone area arrested on gun, drug charges after allegedly firing gun repeatedly into the street

Boston Police report arresting Tehuti Wallace, 28, of Dorchester, last night after the department's ShotSpotter listening system picked up the sound of gunfire outside his Woodrow Avenue Market.

Police say officers arrived in the area of the store, at 67 Woodrow Ave., around 9 p.m. to find the grate to the store's front door down, with no lock on it - and with several spent bullet casings and one live round in front of it. The store's lights were off, yet there was also a grill with food cooking on it next to the store, police say.

Officers, still outside the store, then observed an individual come out of the store who appeared to be startled by officers' presence. Based on information given by this male, officers learned that he owned the store. Officers asked this individual if he had heard what sounded like gunshots, and he responded that he heard something but was unsure if it was gunshots. Officers then pointed to the live bullet round that had been found directly in front of the store and the male exclaimed to officers, "That's not a round!" Officers asked this male if there was anyone else in the store and he answered that there was not and he then attempted to walk back in the store and lock the door. Officers, before the suspect, could walk away asked him if there was any video in the store and he responded there was but that it didn't record.

... Officers then again asked the store owner if there was anyone in the store at which time he then changed his previous answer and told officers that his brother was the only other person in the store and that they had been watching the game. When asked if he was sure, the store owner then told officers that there were maybe five or six people in the store. Officers ten performed a protective sweep during they removed six adult males from the back of the store. While conducting the protective sweep, officers observed several indicia of drug dealing, i.e. a digital scale, several bags of marijuana.

After obtaining a warrant - and finding a witness who reported a guy standing in front of the store firing into the street - police say they found a semi-automatic handgun, a revolver handgun, several cell phones, more than $1,000 in cash and two bags of marijuana.

Wallace was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a School Zone. His brother, Imrahotep Wallace, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for larceny over $250.

Recent weeks have seen a number of violent incidents in the area along Woodrow Avenue, including a murder on Feb. 27, another murder on April 19, a man shot eight times on March 15 and a man shot on May 17.

Innocent, etc.