Newsletter Signup
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
Mattapan man pleads not guilty to gun charges in 12-year-old brother’s shooting death
"This is his family," Walter Hendrick's lawyer reportedly said Friday. "This is something that will take time for all of them to process."
A 22-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to multiple firearms charges in connection with the deadly shooting of his 12-year-old brother in Mattapan Thursday.
Walter Hendrick appeared in Dorchester District Court Friday morning, where he faced charges of improper storage of a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition. A judge set Hendrick’s bail at $2,500 cash, according to NBC10 Boston.
Police previously said the 12-year-old boy — who officials have not yet identified — was shot inside a home at 35 Fessenden St. Thursday afternoon. Police radio transmissions indicate that a woman who lives in the triple-decker reported the shooting, telling a dispatcher that her son had been shot in the chest, according to The Boston Globe.
Advertisement:
On Friday, prosecutors said another one of Hendrick’s younger siblings was also home at the time of the shooting, according to NBC10.
Hendrick’s attorney said he has never been arrested before and has a child on the way, the news outlet reported.
“This is his family,” his lawyer said, according to NBC10. “This is something that will take time for all of them to process.”
Several Boston officials have spoken out in response to the tragedy, which Mayor Michelle Wu described as a “nightmare.”
“In the summer when our kids should be having fun, playing and growing, this is especially a nightmare for a mom and for a family,” Wu said Thursday afternoon.
Advertisement:
Officials have provided few details about the events leading up to the shooting, including who fired the gun, but Boston police said they are actively reviewing the facts and circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.
Hendrick is due back in court on Sept. 6, according to WCVB.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com