Lynn shooting suspect pleads innocent

LYNN – A 17-year-old charged with attempted murder after a gunshot was fired Monday night on Summer Street was ordered held without bail until a District Court dangerousness hearing scheduled for Feb. 10.Josue Alvarez, of 801 Western Ave., pleaded innocent to two charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, two charges of armed assault with intent to murder, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building and possession of a firearm without a firearms identification card.Alvarez and his 15-year-old brother allegedly tried to shoot a 26-year-old man and his 21-year-old friend outside 522 Summer St., according to police reports. Police converged on that residence near the Tedeschi’s store and questioned victims and more than a dozen witnesses.According to police reports, two anonymous 911 callers reported that four males, two Hispanic and two Asian, ran into 522 Summer after the shot was fired and one was holding a firearm. Police eventually located the four youths inside a second-floor apartment.Police escorted the four males outside where the victims, including one who was extremely upset, positively identified Alvarez and his 15-year-old brother as the suspects. Police later arrested a 16-year-old boy who lives at the residence after police found an unlicensed firearm and ammunition inside the home, according to police reports. Both the 15- and 16-year-old were arraigned in juvenile court.The victims told police Alvarez began yelling at them in the alleyway as they fixed a car together. Alvarez’ 15-year-old brother allegedly asked one of the victims if he was a “Blood” gang member before he raised the gun and fired one shot into the air, police said.According to police reports, the brothers were interviewed separately at the Lynn police station. The juvenile declined to be tape-recorded and was in the presence of his mother when he told officers another group of people fired the shot and he, his brother and his friends ran into the house in fear.The 17-year-old, who is legally an adult, opted to have his interview taped and allegedly told officers he and a group of friends were inside 522 Summer playing video games when they heard a gunshot.The Item has learned the younger Alvarez was identified in a police report as a witness to a Nov. 12 accidental shooting on Edwards Court where a 16-year-old boy was injured. Another Lynn teenager was arrested and charged with the shooting.The same Alvarez boy was arrested in November for allegedly violating the city’s loitering ordinance, which prompted his mother to express her opposition to the recently passed ordinance in an interview with the Item. She declined to be interviewed for this story when reached by phone Tuesday.