Image courtesy New England Cable News
Chief Ryan Columbus reports that the Tewksbury Police Department arrested and charged a 14-year-old Lowell juvenile with brandishing a firearm at a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier earlier this week.
It is the second time a Mill City connection has popped up in regards cases involving weapons and mail carriers.
In April, an 18-year old was arrested in connection with the armed robbery of a mail carrier in Nashua, NH.
Robbery of post office carriers is becoming an increasing problem across the country, as it is believed organized gangs are using young men to steal postal keys which are able to access mailboxes throughout a community.
The suspect was arrested and charged with:
• Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Firearm)
• Receiving a Stolen Motor Vehicle
• Possession of a Firearm without an FID
On Tuesday, Aug. 13, at approximately 11:04 a.m., Tewksbury Police were notified of an incident in which someone allegedly brandished a firearm at a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in the area of 483 Shawsheen St.
Tewksbury Police responded to the area and saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on Whipple Road. Tewksbury Police followed that vehicle to the area of Tomahawk Drive, at which point the driver bailed out of the vehicle and ran away.
Tewksbury Police searched the area of Nightingale Lane, where the suspect was reportedly last seen by a witness. Numerous officers and resources were deployed to the area including the Massachusetts State Police Airwing, Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) SWAT Team, Drones, and K-9s to search for the suspect. Police also notified nearby residents via a Code Red message and posted about the incident on social media.
A Tewksbury Police K-9 recovered a firearm behind a home on Grasshopper Lane, which was believed to be the suspect’s.
On Thursday, Aug. 15, as a result of an ongoing investigation into the incident, Tewksbury Police obtained an arrest warrant for a 14-year-old Lowell juvenile who was identified as a suspect. On Thursday at approximately 2 p.m., police located that juvenile in Lowell and took him into custody on the arrest warrant.
The 14-year-old was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Lowell Juvenile Court.
“I want to thank our detectives and officers for their excellent work, which enabled us to make an arrest and close out this case,” said Chief Columbus. “I also want to thank the Lowell Police Department for their assistance.”
