On the evening of January 13, 2017, a tragic shooting in Chelsea, Massachusetts, claimed the life of 15-year-old Jimmy Vasquez, a Hispanic male and a freshman at Chelsea High School. The incident occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m. in the vicinity of Shurtleff and Bellingham Streets. Vasquez was with a group of friends when a car approached, and an individual inside opened fire.
Vasquez was fatally wounded, and another 15-year-old was shot in the foot but survived.
Authorities reported that at least nine shots were fired from a 9mm handgun equipped with a 30-round magazine and a red laser sight. The investigation that followed involved the Chelsea Police Department and the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit. Investigators pieced together evidence from witness interviews and surveillance footage. A key piece of evidence was video of a gray 2010 Toyota Corolla seen leaving the area after the shooting, turning the wrong way down a one-way street.
In March 2018, a breakthrough in the case led to the arrest of 21-year-old Juan Carlos Matos Figueroa of Somerville. A grand jury indicted him on a multitude of charges, including first-degree murder, armed assault with intent to murder, and various firearm offenses. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, Figueroa was a passenger in the vehicle and allegedly fired upon the group of unarmed teenagers.
District Attorney Daniel Conley stated that Jimmy Vasquez was an innocent victim who was not involved in gangs or any violent activity. He described Vasquez as a young man simply "hanging out with his friends on a Friday evening." Following his arrest, Figueroa was ordered to be held without bail. The community mourned the senseless loss of a young life, with vigils held in Jimmy's honor and calls for an end to youth violence.
