WARNING - *Due to the sensitive nature of this video, it is not suitable for children, and you may need to sign into to a YouTube Account to view it*
On July 5th at approximately 2:00 a.m., Springfield Police Officers responded to Miller Street for a ShotSpotter Activation. Officers located 16 shell casings. Over the course of the morning, officers found damage to a vehicle and a home where a bullet struck a living room couch. Three young children and two adults were inside the home at the time. Officers observed another home with damage from gunfire to its siding. A third home was struck with a bullet which landed inside a couch in its living room.
During the day, two more victims came forward. One victim’s car was struck with gunfire. Another victim’s kitchen window was struck by a bullet. In total, four homes and two vehicles were reportedly struck by gunfire.
Springfield Police FIU Detectives began investigating and were able to view a video from Snapchat depicting the shooting incident. Springfield FIU Detectives working with Westfield Police identified three shooting suspects; 22-year-old Doughlas Moss, 22-year-old Joseph Rossi and 21-year-old Brennan O’Connor. FIU Detectives applied for and were granted warrants for their arrests.
In this video, the shooters are laughing and promoting each other to shoot at times blindly, from a moving vehicle at homes in the Miller Street area showing zero remorse for their actions. ***Caution Explicit Language*** (Audio is muted at one point due to expletives)
Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence E. Akers stated, “I want to praise our Firearms Investigation Unit for their diligent work on this investigation. These individuals were shooting at homes with no regard for life. Some of these homes that were struck, were occupied by families and thankfully no one was injured. I want to let our community know, our Officers and Detectives go to great lengths to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno states, “I echo DA Gulluni – the laws need to clamp down on these serious violent criminal activities, especially coming from young adults and juvenile offenders. In this case, I hope ‘they get the book thrown at them’ – I have no patience or tolerance for this totally reckless and wanton criminal behavior. I received a number of calls from concerned residents on Miller Street; any one of these innocent residents could have been injured or killed. And those inflicting this mayhem on our good residents of all creed colors and background in that neighborhood, including many of our seniors, clearly have no regard for the safety of other human beings and zero concern of facing consequences from our court system. Again, I hope the courts and judges ‘throw the book’ at these individuals and refuse to continue to tolerate this violent criminal activity. Imagine if it was one of their friends or family members that lived in that neighborhood? The video is chilling!”
The Mayor continued, “I once again commend and thank our brave and dedicated men and women in blue. They work diligently with all our community partners to apprehend violent criminals and then see them back out on the street committing more heinous crimes while our residents and business community deal with the consequences – this is at times demoralizing – we’re doing our job – I ask the courts to do theirs. These negative individuals’ next joyride should be right into Sheriff Cocchi’s facility! In the meantime, I will continue to push my common sense and pragmatic bail reform legislation sponsored by State Representative Angelo Puppolo towards hopeful passage in our State Legislature.”
On July 10th, Rossi turned himself in at court. He was arraigned and transferred to the Hampden County Correctional Center where he is being held.
Around 7:00 a.m. on Friday September 12th, members of the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU) under the direction of Lieutenant Jaime Bruno, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Massachusetts State Police VFAS and United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Moss at his home on the 0-100 Vinton Street.
Additional arrests were made at this home in an unrelated investigation.
On Monday September 15th at approximately 12:55 p.m., members of the Springfield Police FIU, Springfield Police Warrant Apprehension Unit and Hampden County Sheriff’s arrested O’Connor at his home on the 0-100 block of St. James Circle.
22-year-old Joseph Rossi of Southwick is charged with:
- Arrest Warrant
- Firearm-Armed Assault to Murder (Five Counts)
- Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License
- Carrying a Firearm without a License
- Discharging a Firearm within 500 Feet of a Building
- Malicious Damage to a Motor Vehicle
- Malicious Destruction of Property more than $1200
22-year-old Doughlas Moss of Springfield is charged with:
- Arrest Warrant
- Firearm-Armed Assault to Murder (Five Counts)
- Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License
- Carrying a Firearm without a License
- Discharging a Firearm within 500 Feet of a Building
- Malicious Damage to a Motor Vehicle
- Malicious Destruction of Property more than $1200 - Arrest Warrant
- Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card – Subsequent Offense
- Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Three Counts)
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug (Two Counts)
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class E Drug
- Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law
21-year-old Brennan O’Connor of Springfield is charged with:
- Arrest Warrant
- Firearm-Armed Assault to Murder (Five Counts)
- Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License
- Carrying a Firearm without a License
- Discharging a Firearm within 500 Feet of a Building
- Malicious Damage to a Motor Vehicle
- Malicious Destruction of Property more than $1200