After several weeks of relative quiet in the Cary Square area, the quiet was broken early last Friday morning when several shots were fired on Lafayette Avenue – with one going through the window of Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home and lodging itself in the foyer of the facility.
At approximately 2:03 a.m., an officer reported hearing shots fired in the general area of Washington Avenue and Spruce Street. Approximately 30 seconds later, Dispatch received a ShotSpotter Activation for six rounds fired at 22 Lafayette Ave., which is directly at the top of the city stairs and opposite the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home parking lot.
Officers on the scene immediately located on 9mm shell casing near the City Stairs and observed a bullet hole through a double pane window at the nursing home. The bullet was later found stuck in the ceiling of an empty lobby area inside the home.
There were no injuries associated with the gunfire.
Police quickly followed up on a 9-1-1 tip that indicated three people had exited a vehicle and run into a building at 44 Lafayette St. Officers found the vehicle in question, and also located an intoxicated 16-year-old female outside – who was placed into protective custody.
Sometime later, after watching the building for awhile, officers observed two males exit the building and enter the vehicle in question. One of the males had rented the vehicle.
After a search of the vehicle, no weapon was located and a K-9 search of the area did not turn up a weapon or suspects.
Detectives have continued the investigation and are looking into video surveillance from a number of different locations.
The bullet was submitted for testing, along with the shell casing, to see if the gun had been used in any previously reported incidents.
Waltham and Malden Police Departments have been contacted to follow up on the investigation into the two men who were in the rental car.
Police said they have had numerous impact patrols in the area over the last couple of weeks since a well-attended community meeting took place at St. Luke’s Church.
Recent patrols have found zero criminal activity at the Lafayette and City Stairs location.