MANCHESTER, NH – Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a shooter who left two people injured Saturday night from what appears to be stray bullets.
On July 23, 2016, at about 8:50 p.m., officers responded to the vicinity of Union and Auburn streets for a report of multiple gunshots. While responding to the area, officers found a 16-year-old male victim with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to his back at the basketball courts in the area of Beech and Green streets. The juvenile was accompanied by Michael Cartagena, 18, of Manchester.
Before the shooting, both the victim and Cartagena were reportedly playing basketball at the courts, then went to the Dollar Deluxe Store at 334 Union St., to purchase drinks. Soon after leaving the store to return to the basketball courts, they heard what sounded like multiple gunshots behind them, prompting them to flee from the area. It was only after arriving back at the basketball courts that the juvenile male realized that he had been hit in the back. The juvenile was subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment, where he remains in stable condition.
Responding officers had also located a second possible victim at Down The Block Convenience, 167 Hanover St., a significant distance from the area where the shots were originally heard. Elaine Dugas, 59, of Manchester, told police she heard multiple gunshots while she was sitting outside the store when she sustained an injury to the top of her foot. She could not specify to police where she was when the injury occurred. Dugas refused medical attention and was subsequently released.
Right after the gunshots were heard, witnesses told police that a male was seen fleeing the area easterly on Auburn Street from the intersection of Auburn and Union streets. He was described as a Hispanic male, unspecified age or weight, approximately 5-foot-5 inches tall, with short hair last seen wearing a white tank-top and light blue jeans. This man was allegedly in possession of a handgun as he fled.
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident should contact the Manchester Police Department at 668-8711. If you wish to remain anonymous and provide information leading to the identification and arrest of the person(s) responsible for this assault, then you may be eligible for a cash reward through Manchester Crimeline. Please contact our Crimeline at 624-4040.
