Malden police arrested a 47-year-old Saugus man on the evening of Wednesday, October 21 on a warrant tied to a shooting in the 500 block of Broadway, the department announced the next morning. A week later the department put extra officers on the street for a coordinated evening of e-bike and moped enforcement with the State Police and surrounding communities. The two announcements, along with a lifesaving award and a crisis negotiation course for three officers, are drawn from the department’s public posts for the second half of October.
The Broadway shooting arrest
According to the department’s October 22 announcement, the arrest came “as a result of an extensive investigation” by the Malden Police Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division and Special Operations Unit, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police and the FBI Boston Violent Crimes Task Force. Officers took the man into custody in the 400 block of Broadway “following a brief period of negotiation” and brought him to the Malden police station for booking on an outstanding arrest warrant connected to the investigation. The department said he was expected to be arraigned in Malden District Court.
Police did not release the man’s name, the date of the shooting, or whether anyone was hurt. The announcement said detectives “believe this was not a random act of violence and that the individuals involved are known to one another,” and that investigators “do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community related to this incident.” The investigation was described as ongoing, and the department thanked its state and federal partners.
The department’s post does not identify a specific address in either block of Broadway. A charge is not a conviction; the man is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
E-bikes and mopeds
On the night of Thursday, October 29 the department posted a public safety notice for residents who had noticed “a little more police activity throughout Malden this evening.” Malden officers had joined the State Police “and several surrounding communities for a coordinated initiative focused on e-bikes and mopeds,” the post said. “The purpose was to educate riders and address unsafe or unlawful operation, including speeding, reckless riding, and helmet violations.”
The department said the initiative had been proposed to and supported by its leadership and by Mayor Gary Christenson’s administration. It did not report how many riders were stopped, cited or arrested, or which other departments took part. The post closed with a line aimed at riders: “Some folks know the rules and don’t care. Some don’t know the rules but care. And some don’t know the rules and don’t care. We know all three exist.” Whatever the category, it said, Malden police “will continue working with our law enforcement partners to educate, enforce when necessary, and address public safety concerns in a reasonable and responsible manner.”
The enforcement night came ten days after an e-bike rider was struck by a car at the Northern Strand crossing on Maplewood Street, an October 19 crash recorded in the department’s weekly crash file and reported here earlier this week.
A Life Saving Medal, crisis negotiators, drug take-back
Officer George Lopez received the Massachusetts Police Association’s Life Saving Medal on October 22 at the association’s 126th annual convention in Hyannis, the department said in a post congratulating him that evening. The department’s post describes the award as recognizing “one of Malden’s finest”; the full account of the incident behind the medal was in the portion of the post we could not retrieve, and we have not characterized it.
On October 10 the department congratulated Officers Rappa, Hogan and DeLeon on completing a 40-hour FBI crisis negotiations course, which it called one of the first steps toward becoming a certified negotiator. The Broadway arrest eleven days later was resolved, by the department’s own account, through negotiation.
The department also reminded residents on October 23 that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was the next day, with anonymous drop-off of unused or expired medication at the police station, and on October 8 posted a save-the-date for the second annual Lt. Scott Carroll Memorial Ruck and Run, honoring a late member of the department.
The chief on Flock cameras
On October 14, the morning after the City Council’s Committee of the Whole took up the city’s Flock Safety license plate readers, Chief Marc Gatcomb posted “A Message to Our Community: Flock Safety Cameras and Public Trust,” saying he wanted “to share a few thoughts and hopefully address some of the concerns raised.” The council’s review of the camera program, ordered in September, remains open; our report on the October 27 council meeting is here.
The department’s posts are on its X account: the arrest announcement, the e-bike and moped notice, the Life Saving Medal post and the chief’s Flock message. We will update the arrest story when the man is arraigned and the court record is available.
