$10G bail for Nahant beach shooting suspect

SALEM – A Lynn gang -member who traded gunshots on a crowded Nahant beach in July will have to come up with $10,000 cash in order to get out of the Middleton Jail pending trial.Chrisna Choun, 18, of 42 Vine St. pleaded innocent to carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, stemming from an incident on July 18 when Choun allegedly shot at a rival gang member near the Ward Bathhouse lot on Long Beach in Nahant.Salem Superior Court Judge Jack T. Lu set the high cash bail jointly recommended by the prosecutor and defense, and agreed to leave the door open for a bail review at another court hearing.The incident reportedly took place around 7:30 p.m., when Choun, a Bloods gang member, encountered three female associates of the rival Crips gang on the beach that night.Shortly after that, Sophy Chhum, 19, a reported member of the Crips gang, apparently arrived by car and began repeatedly yelling “Crips, Crips” and then gunshots reportedly began.According to reports, Choun told authorities he removed his .22 caliber pistol from his right front pocket and began firing, but after a few gunshots, he realized he was out of bullets and began to run down the beach with Chhum chasing after him with a baseball bat in his hand. Choun told police he began to wrestle with Chhum and managed to grab the baseball bat from him.Nahant Police Lt. Thomas Hutton rushed to the scene and saw Choun holding the bat and ordered him to drop it. At the same time, Choun also dropped his .22 caliber pistol into the surf before surrendering.Although authorities initially charged Chhum in connection with the shootout, no evidence was presented against him before the grand jury by the district attorneys, due to lack of evidence against him.Choun has previously been convicted of two prior violent crimes in 2006 out of Lynn District Court.He is due back in court on Oct. 14 for a pretrial conference.