Police: Gun recovered from Dorchester man sleeping in schoolyard
A Dorchester man was arrested Wednesday after officers found him sleeping in a schoolyard with a gun next to him, Boston police said in a statement.
Around 5:56 a.m., officers responded to the area of 40 School St. for a report of an unconscious man who had what seemed to be a firearm next to him, according to police.
Police said officers entered the playground of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School and saw Rodney Cooper, 18, lying on his back. He appeared to be sleeping.
Officers observed what they identified as a gun under Cooper’s arm as they approached, according to police. Officers said they removed the firearm from under Cooper’s arm and woke him up.
Police said Cooper was startled and tried to get up, struggling for a moment with the officers, who managed to gain control of the suspect and handcuff him.
The gun taken from Cooper was loaded with several rounds of ammunition, according to police. Officers also recovered a backpack containing two digital scales and a black ski mask.
Police said Cooper could not produce a license to carry a firearm, and so he was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm in public, trespassing, and having firearm on school property. He is expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court.
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