SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Springfield police arrested four men and seized four guns after the department's ShotSpotter system detected gunfire in the city, police said Monday.

Officers responded at about 7:05 p.m. to multiple ShotSpotter alerts near Jefferson Avenue, according to the Springfield Police Department. Police said they found evidence of a shooting on Calhoun Street, where a vehicle was damaged and detectives found 16 rounds inside it, and on Jefferson Avenue, where two homes were damaged. In all, police said, 61 spent shell casings were recovered on the two streets. The release did not report any injuries.

Officers stopped two men who matched the description of two of the shooters near Dwight and Grove streets, police said. Keyshawn Watson, 23, of Springfield ran off and was arrested on Harriet Street, where officers found a loaded gun in his jacket, according to police. Officers were then told that Giovanni Ramirez, 24, of Springfield had dropped a gun on Dwight Street, police said. They recovered a loaded ghost gun, a privately made firearm, that holds 21 rounds and arrested Ramirez.

Other officers stopped five people on Main Street, police said, and released three. Anthony Espaillat, 18, of Springfield tried to run but was stopped immediately and was carrying a gun that holds 17 rounds and a second magazine, according to police. Jaiden Thomas, 22, of Springfield was caught after a foot chase with a loaded gun that holds 15 rounds in his waistband, police said.

All four are charged with discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, firing a gun that struck a home, attempted assault and battery with a firearm, and malicious damage to a vehicle, along with gun possession charges. Watson, Espaillat and Thomas are also charged with resisting arrest, and Watson with three counts of assault and battery on a police officer.

The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

This brief was drafted by AI from a public agency or political press release and published by The New England Signal. Why we use AI for stories like this one.