Man charged with shooting a gun into a Mattapan field

Boston Police report officers responding to a ShotSpotter signal at 85 Astoria St. in Mattapan early this morning arrested a man they say fired one round into a neighboring ball field.

Police say arriving officers spotted a group of guys, around 2:55 a.m.:

Officers’ attention was drawn to one individual who began to turn his body away from officers. Officers approached the individual and immediately observed the end of a firearm protruding from his right jean shorts pocket.

Officers were able to safely place the suspect into handcuffs and recovered the firearm. Officers observed that the firearm was locked to the rear and the casing was still in the chamber which failed to properly eject. The firearm was later determined to be a Republic Arms Patriot with one spent shell casing in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine.

Denzel Harper, 37, of Dorchester, was charged with discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition, police say.

Innocent, etc.