Mass. Man, teen charged in connection with Roxbury shooting

An Everett man and a Lynn teenager have been charged in connection with a shooting near Walnut Park in Roxbury on Sept. 4, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

Romanni Nettles, 23, was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, carrying ammunition without a license, carrying a loaded firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a residence, a statement from Hayden’s office said.

Princess Garcia, 18, was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, carrying ammunition without a license, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a firearm with an illegible serial number, leaving the scene after property damage and reckless conduct charged with a vehicle that was subsequently not stopped for police and helpers.

At Roxbury BMC, Judge Steven Kim ordered Nettles held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Wednesday, October 1.

Judge Lisa Grant set Garcia’s bond at $750 and ordered her to abide by a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew and stay away from Roxbury. She is expected to appear in court again on Oct. 25 for a probable cause hearing.

“I am grateful that no one was injured or worse in this incident, either from bullets or this driver’s reckless operation on a busy city street,” Hayden said in the statement. “This is another example of detectives carefully tracking down video evidence to build the best possible case. Anyone who thinks they can let bullets fly through the streets of Boston without consequences should think again.”

On Sept. 4 around 10 p.m., Boston police were notified of a shooting at 41 Walnut Park, Hayden’s office said. One casing was found near 37 Walnut Park, one near 51 Walnut Park and six near 60 Walnut Park.

Officers then saw a gray Nissan Altima traveling over the speed limit and attempted to stop the car, the statement said. While the car stopped briefly, it drove off again. The Nissan had a New York license plate, police determined, and officers were able to obtain a partial license plate number.

Police stopped the car again on Columbia Road and arrested three people. Garcia was sitting in the driver’s seat and had a .380-caliber gun in her waistband, they said. The gun had no serial number and had six live cartridges in the magazine.

Nettles was in the back seat and a third person was in the passenger seat, Hayden’s office said. All three were taken to the police station, where gunshot marks were found on Nettles’ pants.

Surveillance footage showed a person in a gray car with his arm outside the car apparently firing a gun, Hayden’s office said. The person was hanging out of the driver’s side rear window with something in his hand. This person was in the area where the bullet casings were found.

Additional footage showed the car running the red light on Walnut Avenue at Townsend Street before police followed the car, the statement said.

No charges were filed against the third person.