In the early morning hours of September 14, 2018, the life of 16-year-old Alberto R. Walter Tavares of Brockton, Massachusetts, was tragically cut short. He was a Black / African American male. Alberto, known to his friends and family as "Walter," was a student at Brockton High School and was remembered as a jokester who enjoyed riding his motocross motorcycle and dancing.
On that fateful night, Alberto was the front-seat passenger in a car being driven by his older brother.
In the back seat were two other individuals, one of whom was identified as Tony Semedo-Cardoso. While near the James Edgar playground in Brockton, Semedo-Cardoso was reportedly handling a firearm in the backseat behind the driver. Around 1:12 a.m., the gun discharged. The bullet tore through the front passenger seat and struck Alberto.
Immediately after the shooting, Semedo-Cardoso and the other back-seat passenger fled from the vehicle. Alberto's brother rushed him to Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital, but his injuries were too severe. At 2:05 a.m., Alberto R. Walter Tavares was pronounced dead.
An investigation was launched by the Brockton Police and State Police Detectives. Their investigation led them to Tony Semedo-Cardoso. An arrest warrant was issued, and he was taken into custody. Semedo-Cardoso was initially arraigned on a murder charge, which was later followed by a Plymouth County Grand Jury indictment on charges of manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm.
