Six police departments assist Lynn PD to quell huge brawl

LYNN – A score of fights broke out on Spruce Street in Lynn at approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, according to police reports.Six police departments were called in to assist and a Lynn officer was injured when taking a suspect into custody.Justin Short, 21, 37 Tapley Ave., Revere was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the presence of a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.Alfredo Chavez, 23, 38 Spruce St., Lynn was issued a noise citation.Lt. William Sharpe said in a press release that officers on routine patrol observed a large number of people in the vicinity of 38 Spruce St. A police report narrative on the incident states there were between 100 and 200 people inside and outside the residence.Police called for additional backup when officers observed a fight inside the home.”As myself and Car #14 stopped the fight inside the residence, Sierra #1 made a radio transmission that several people were now fighting outside,” Officer Christopher Hagerty wrote in his narrative. “As officers responded outside we observed several people fighting with Sierra #1 attempting to break them up. As we were separating people involved in this fight, several more fights broke out all around us and up and down Spruce Street.”There were numerous fistfights and people swinging bottles at each other, according to police.Lynn Police requested mutual aid from Swampscott, Revere, Salem, Saugus, Nahant and the State Police to help break up the melee.Officers observed Short – the Revere man who was arrested – run up to a man who was standing in the middle of Spruce Street.Short allegedly punched the man in the head and knocked him to the ground. The police report states when officers attempted to stop Short, he ran onto a snow bank then slipped and fell. Short was taken into custody “after a brief struggle.”Officer Paul Cotter sustained a cut to his left knee, which did not require medical attention, while struggling with Short.According to property records, Mario and Maria Fernandez own the single family three-bedroom home where the incident occurred.Short was arraigned Tuesday at Lynn District Court by Judge Ellen Flatley on charges of assault and battery, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was issued a bail warning so that if he gets in trouble with the law in the next 60 days, he could be held without bail. Short is due back in court on March 22 for a pre-trial hearing.