LYNN — Police said Thursday that a shooting at Brothers Deli on Market Street late Wednesday afternoon was not random and was instigated by an argument between at least two suspects in the restaurant’s parking lot.
In a statement released by the department Thursday morning, police said they responded to the area of 41 Market St. at approximately 3:23 p.m. on a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered several shell casings at the scene and damage to Brothers Deli.
“Lynn Police do not believe this was a random act, but rather a dispute between two individuals known to one another,” the statement said. “The investigation revealed an interaction between at least two suspects in the parking lot, which led to the shooting.”
The department said there will be an increased police presence in the area to “reassure residents that this frequently-visited area is safe.”
Two Brothers employees said Wednesday that shots were fired in the deli’s parking lot at approximately 3:15 p.m.; a bullet went through one of the front windows of the restaurant.
One of the employees, Ronald Freitas, said the shooting occurred after a young man placed an order at the deli, went outside, and interacted with the occupant of a second vehicle that pulled into the parking lot. Shortly after this occurred, shots were fired, he said.
Three students from St. Mary’s, a high school that is located close to the restaurant, were at Brothers Deli when the shooting occurred, according to Head of School Dr. John F. Dolan. The three students were kept in a back room by employees until police arrived and returned to school after officers cleared the scene, Dolan said.
The incident remains under investigation by the Lynn Police Department. No arrests have been made.
