MANCHESTER, NH – A Massachusetts man has been arrested in connection with an early morning shooting Saturday at a River Road apartment complex.
Joe Derat, 32, of Mattapan, Mass., was arrested Sunday and according to police is charged with felony reckless conduct and falsifying evidence. He was also found to be a convicted felon and was charged accordingly, as a felon in possession of a deadly weapon. He also faces a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
The following is a police narrative of events leading up to Derat’s arrest:
On October 31, 2020, at approximately 2:15 a.m. police responded to 196 River Road for a report of gunshots. Arriving officers located one victim, a man, suffering from a gunshot wound. The shooter had already fled the scene. The name of the victim has not been released by police.
Through their investigation, police learned that Derat was also at the scene and had allegedly chased after the suspect and fired shots, as well. Derat then hid the gun which officers later found.
Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said he was “disappointed” that despite the violent nature of the crime and the fact the Derat has an out-of-state address, he was released on personal recognizance bail.
“Once again, the Manchester Police Department is very disappointed with the bail that was set in this matter,” Aldenberg said. “Our officers and detectives worked very hard on this case and it is disheartening to see that despite their best efforts, a dangerous individual is being released back onto the streets. Regardless, Manchester Police will continue to investigate and follow this through to the end. Reducing violent crime remains a priority but it is difficult to do when defendants such as this are released on bail. Those who commit violent crimes should be held accountable.”
