Boston

2 Arrested After Shots Fired in Back Bay

Police spoke with a witness who said shots were fired between Rashawn Bly, Walter Coleman and two other unidentified individuals Tuesday

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Police chased down and arrested two men from Boston after shots were fired Tuesday afternoon in the Back Bay.

Rashawn Bly, 24, and Walter Coleman, 23, ran down an alley, away from officers after gunshots were fired between Boylston Street and Newbury Street, according to police. Authorities later found a Baretta 9 mm in a recycling bin in the same alley in the “lock back” position, with the slide fully extended backward.

Both will be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on numerous charges.

The chase began when witnesses told police that the two suspects were running down an alley in between Newbury Street and Commonwealth Avenue, towards the Boston Common.

Officers went to the alleyway and detained Bly, but Coleman initially got away. After getting access to a rooftop nearby, police saw Coleman laying on the ground inside of a fenced in backyard of 24 Commonwealth Avenue and detained him.

Officers spoke with a witness who reported an exchange of gunfire between Bly and Coleman and two other unidentified individuals.

Witnesses say they heard anywhere from eight to 15 bullets.

"We heard the shots, looked out the window, and then saw the shooting," said Wendy Werve, who was at a business meeting inside the Mandarin Oriental hotel.

"Very surreal to see it happen," she said. "You actually see the individual and the gun and all of this happening, it was sort of like slow motion, we were all wondering what we had just witnessed."

Police say no one was injured by the bullets, but several cars were hit, including Mia Webster's Acura, which was parked on Fairfield Street while she was at work at Supercuts.

The back window of her car was blown out, and her tires were hit, as well.
Webster says she's lucky she didn't get caught in the gunfire.

"Luckily, divine intervention, my guardian angel, I was supposed to be leaving when the event happened," she said. "I stayed later to do a client."

Bly was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, firearm discharged within 500 ft. of dwelling, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, malicious destruction of property, unlawful possession of ammunition, firearm carry without license loaded, and armed career criminal level 1, firearm violation with 1 prior violent/drug crime.

Coleman was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, firearm discharged within 500 ft. of dwelling, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of class B drugs, malicious destruction of property, unlawful possession of ammunition, firearm carry without license loaded, armed career criminal level 1, firearm violation with 1 prior violent/drug crime and trespassing.

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