Street minister offers testimony in Lynn gang-related murder trial

SALEM – A street minister testified Thursday that he saw a car belonging to murder suspect Jose Cabrera driving away from the scene where Tony Pich was shot and killed on Halloween night in 2008.Angel Arroyo, 38, a case worker/street worker who at the time worked for Straight Ahead Ministry of Lynn, said he was on Olive Street right before the slaying occurred.”A mass of people came. It looked like a fight was going to break out,” Arroyo said, adding, “then I heard two or three gunshots.””Did you see anyone with a gun?” Assistant District Attorney Kristen R. Buxton asked Thursday at the trial in Salem Superior Court.”No,” he replied, saying he only saw flashes coming from the sidewalk.Arroyo said he saw police arriving as the car sped away.After they thought everything had quieted down, Arroyo and his female friend headed back toward the 7-Eleven to get her a drink.While en route, they stopped at a stop sign at a side corner near 1-3 Olive St.Arroyo described how he saw a crowd of people and a man come out of the crowd, pull out a gun and shoot at a vehicle.Arroyo said he could not identify the man shooting the gun or his race.”How many shots?” Buxton asked.”Maybe four or five,” responded Arroyo.”I ducked down and then saw a gray vehicle driving away toward the 7-Eleven.”Did you recognize that car?” Buxton asked.”I can say I did. It was Cabrera’s car,” responded Arroyo.”Could you see who was inside?” questioned Buxton.”No,” said Arroyo.Buxton then questioned Arroyo as to why he gave an initial inaccurate description of the vehicle to police.”I was scared. I was a street worker out on the streets,” replied the street minister.”Do you have a certain loyalty?” inquired Buxton.”Not a loyalty, more like a trust. I didn’t want to believe it,” replied Arroyo.Cabrera is charged with shooting and killing Pich, a rival gang member.Arroyo also told the jury how he and other street workers would reach out to suspected street level gang members and encourage them to participate in sports and to try to get them to look for jobs.He testified that he knew Cabrera, who was age 18 at the time, that Cabrera participated in the basketball league and that he had met his mother at their home at 3 Chestnut St.Arroyo said at one point he was going to buy a gray Kia from Cabrera, but when he drove it, he discovered the clutch was no good, so he declined to buy it.Cabrera has pleaded innocent to a charge of first-degree murder. He faces a life sentence behind bars if convicted.