Boston

Lynnfield man arrested in Boston Common shooting

Officers saw multiple people running in different directions, including a man who they later identified as Dana Loder, according to police

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A 30-year-old man was arrested in connection with a shooting that left another man seriously injured on the Boston Common Monday night, police said.

Officers were patrolling the area of Tremont and Winter streets by Downtown Crossing at about 10 p.m., when they heard gunshots coming from the inside of Boston Common, Boston police said.

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Officers saw multiple people running in different directions, including a man who they later identified as Dana Loder, according to police.

Police say Loder looked suspicious, clutching the front of his waistband with both hands as he ran.

The officers then ran after him, watching him toss a firearm, that they recovered from the scene, before they were able to take him into custody, police said.

A man in his mid-30s was found shot in the back on Boston Common, according to authorities. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but was expected to survive as of Tuesday afternoon.

Loder, of Lynnfield, was charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license (second offense), carrying a firearm without a license (second offense), possession of ammunition without an FID card and possession of a Class B drug (crack cocaine).

“The commonwealth would just ask that he be held without bail," Assistant District Attorney Chris Boutin said in Boston Municipal Court Tuesday.

Loder also stands accused of selling drugs in the Boston Common almost a year ago to date, according to court records, and similar gun charges are pending out of Middlesex Superior Court for firing rounds in Lowell three years ago.

His attorney argued that the evidence wasn't solid.

“That he might have engaged in some kind of chase or that he ran away from an area where there was an allegation of shots being fired I don’t think would be surprising to anybody," said attorney Carla Barrett.

She also spoke to his current circumstances outside the criminal charges.

“He’s actively engaged in raising two step-daughters, one of whom has a birthday coming up that he wants to be able to participate in," she said.

“He’s also gotten some previous mental health diagnoses, for which he is actively receiving treatment.”

Loder will be held without bail until a dangerousness hearing on June 17.

Those who live in the area and were there as the shooting unfolded say they had a bad feeling moments before the shooting.

"About two minutes later — five shots. I looked and everybody's getting down, I got down to the floor with my girl and then I saw the officer running after the shooter, and got him down to the ground, made an arrest," said Jason Ortiz.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Boston Police Department at 617-343-4470. Anonymous tip can be made by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word "TIP" to CRIME (27463).

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