On a summer evening in Taunton, Massachusetts, a cookout among family and friends turned into a scene of violence that claimed the life of 24-year-old Marques McCassie. The male victim was at his cousin's home on June 27, 2015, when the deadly encounter unfolded. Police were called to the Weir Street residence around 5:45 p.m. after reports of gunshots. Upon arrival, they discovered a chaotic scene with four individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.
McCassie was rushed to Morton Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries about an hour later.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a violent exchange between McCassie and another man, Lorenze DaVeiga, who was 22 at the time. DaVeiga had arrived at the cookout and, for reasons that are not entirely clear from public accounts, a confrontation ensued. DaVeiga fired a shot that struck McCassie in the flank. A second shot hit McCassie's second cousin in the knee. At that point, another one of McCassie's relatives tackled DaVeiga to the ground. While on the ground, DaVeiga managed to fire another shot, hitting McCassie in the thigh.
Further investigation showed that McCassie was also armed and had fired at DaVeiga, striking him at least four times. Despite his own serious injuries, DaVeiga was able to flee the scene. He sought help from a bystander on Somerset Avenue and was subsequently taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, where he underwent life-saving emergency surgery.
In the aftermath of the fatal shooting, Lorenze DaVeiga was arrested and faced multiple charges. In December 2018, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, unlawful possession of a firearm, and two counts of assault and battery by discharge of a firearm. For his role in the death of Marques McCassie, DaVeiga was sentenced to a term of 18-and-a-half-years in state prison, with an additional two years of probation to follow his release.
