Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

3 arrested during baby shower brawl

SPRINGFIELD (AP) – A dispute among guests at a baby shower erupted into a fight during which one man was shot and several other people, including the guest of honor who was seven months pregnant, were struck with a large stick, police say.

Three people were arrested on charges related to the Saturday brawl at a home in Springfield that police have called a “baby shower gone bad.”

Police say the shooting victim, Aristotle Garcia, 26, got into a fight with a man who is dating his ex-girlfriend over whether the woman let their 5-year-old daughter drink beer.

The argument between Garcia and Antonio Santiago escalated and drew in Jazz Rivas and Juan Velazquez, police say.

When the shower’s hostess tried to intervene, Rivas began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be, with a large stick, police said.

Velazquez fired a gun in the air, then fired it into the crowd, hitting Garcia in the stomach, police said. Garcia is in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center. The mother-to-be was treated and released.

Velazquez, 19, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, armed assault with intent to murder. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.

Santiago, 25, pleaded innocent to similar charges on Tuesday, and was ordered held on $50,000 bail.

Rivas, 22, pleaded innocent to three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery on a pregnant female and ordered held on $10,000 bail.

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