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Seven charged for hunting and shooting a woman outside a Roxbury McDonald's last November

Seven people face charges for an elaborate scheme that included two cars to hunt down and kill a woman in Roxbury, who, however survived getting shot twice outside the McDonald's at Warren and Dale streets around 8:30 p.m. on Nov 17, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Five of the seven were rounded up in a sweep by Boston Police yesterday, the DA's office says. One was already behind bars on other charges while one remains at large.

According to the DA's office, in addition to the arrests, the sweep led to the seizure of "clothing worn during the shooting, a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver containing six rounds, a Glock 24 loaded with 14 cartridges, a Glock-19 with a sear switch and a 24-round magazine loaded with 23 cartridges, an unattached sear switch, a firearm magazine, loose rounds of ammunition, and $10,000 in cash." A "sear switch" is a device to convert a semi-automatic weapon to an automatic one; it's not currently illegal in Massachusetts if not attached to a gun, however.

Prosecutors allege that Orlando Diaz and Ja’Mori Williams went out that night in a rented Jeep to gun down their victim, a 20-year-old woman. In a separate Mercedes SUV, four other people prowled the area in front of the Jeep, searching for the woman. When they found her, somebody in the Jeep opened fire, shooting seven rounds at her. Two bullets hit her in the arm and upper torso, others hit a bystander's car - with two young children who went unhurt in the back seat - and a third-floor apartment on Warren Street.

One of the alleged plot members, Ericka Peralta, was not at the scene, but was charged for her alleged role in using her position as a Hertz employee to use somebody else's ID and license to rent the Jeep to Diaz, the DA's office charges.

Those charged:

  • Odanis Brea, 25, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, assault and battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and firearm violation with three prior violent or drug crimes
  • Brian Ortiz, 24, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, assault and battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, illegal possession of a loaded firearm (second offense), and firearm violation with two prior violent or drug crimes
  • Ja'Mori Williams, 19, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, assault and battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony
  • Orlando Diaz, 20, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, assault and battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony
  • Machyus Battle, 19, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, assault and battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, illegal possession of a firearm (subsequent offense), illegal possession of ammunition (subsequent offense)
  • Ericka Peralta, 25, conspiracy, identity fraud, larceny over $1200, and credit card fraud
  • A 17-year-old juvenile male, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, assault and battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony

Ortiz, Williams, Brea, Diaz were arraigned Wednesday in Roxbury Municipal Court. All were ordered held without bail pending dangerousness hearings on July 15. The teenager was arraigned in Boston juvenile court and ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing July 16.

Battle is in custody on an unrelated charge and will be arraigned at a later date, the DA's office reports, adding an arrest warrant has been issued for Peralta.

Innocent, etc.

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Comments

Why is assault and battery with a firearm not attempted murder?

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16

Probably want to have the whole Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight in custody, start them singing about each other, before they upgrade the charges. One to go!

General Laws, Part IV, Title I, Chapter 265, Section 16: Attempt to murder:

Section 16. Whoever attempts to commit murder by poisoning, drowning or strangling another person, or by any means not constituting an assault with intent to commit murder, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than twenty years or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars and imprisonment in jail for not more than two and one half years.

Emphasis mine.

Then why aren't these people charged with assault with intent to commit murder? Or is assault and battery with a firearm somehow a more serious charge?

Trauma begets trauma.

Why would seven unrelated people conspire to murder a 20-year-old?

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11

What are you talking about, Ron? They are clearly related.

Forget it Jake, it’s Roxbury.

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15

Gonna guess this is gang related. That is why.

If you *specifically* want to kill someone, you do it alone (or maybe with one person acting as lookout or diversion). Fewer witnesses, less risk of getting spotted, etc.

These people were out to commit murder primarily as—most likely—a group bonding exercise.

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11

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