SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The mayor of a Massachusetts city is calling on the court to “throw the book” at three young men who allegedly opened fire on homes at random in a video of brazen drive-by shootings that was posted to social media earlier this summer.
Joseph Rossi, 22, of Southwick, Doughlas Moss, 22, of Springfield, and Brennan O’Connor, 21, of Springfield, all face a slew of firearm-related charges in connection with a string of shootings that rocked a Springfield neighborhood during the early morning hours of July 5, the Springfield Police Department announced Thursday.
Officers responding to Miller Street in Springfield around 2 a.m. on July 5 found 16 shell casings and bullet damage to a vehicle, home, and living room couch. Police noted that three young children and two adults were inside the home at the time.
Officers saw another home with damage from gunfire to its siding, and a third home was struck with a bullet that landed inside a couch in its living room, according to police.
After additional victims came forward, police said that in total, four homes and two vehicles were reportedly struck by gunfire.
During the course of an investigation into the drive-by shootings, detectives uncovered a Snapchat video that revealed the three alleged suspects blindly shooting out of a moving vehicle on the morning of July 5.
Police also released the video of the incident on Thursday. It shows the alleged suspects laughing and encouraging each other to shoot from the car window.
Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence E. Akers said the suspects showed zero remorse for their alleged actions.
“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,” Akers said in a statement. “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.”
Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno described the video as “chilling” and called for harsh punishment for the suspected shooters.
“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,” Sarno said in a statement. “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 were one of their friends or family members who lived in that neighborhood? The video is chilling!”
Five days after the shootings, Rossi surrendered to police and was arraigned. He’s currently being held at the Hampden County Correctional Center.
Moss was arrested at his home on Friday, Sept. 12, while O’Connor was arrested at his home on Monday.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Moss and O’Connor would face arraignment.
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