One person was seriously injured and another was arrested after a shooting at a pro-Israel rally in Newton Thursday night.
The alleged shooter, Scott Hayes of Framingham, has been charged with assault, battery with a dangerous weapon, and violation of a constitutional right causing injury, according to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan.
At approximately 6:40 p.m., the Newton Police Department (NPD) responded to a call at a pro-Israel demonstration near Washington Street and Harvard Street in Newtonville.
The group was demonstrating on the right side of the street, according to Ryan, when an individual walking down the left side of the street began exchanging words with the protestors.
The individual then charged across the street and tackled a protestor. Hayes then shot the man who had attacked the protestor, according to Ryan.
“There was a scuffle that was going on on the street, and at some point, Mr. Hayes used a gun and fired a shot that struck the individual that had come across the street,” Ryan said.
Authorities believe Hayes legally possessed the gun, according to Ryan. He will be arraigned Friday at the Newton District Court.
NPD will provide additional patrols at houses of worship in the city over the next several days, according to Newton Police Chief John Carmichael.
In a press conference Thursday night, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said the police acted quickly to handle the situation.
“This was a frightening incident on Washington Street earlier this evening,” Fuller said. “The Newton Police Department acted quickly and immediately took a person into custody.”
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