Three individuals under the age of 20 now face charges in connection with a late-August shooting near Lawrence High School that left three minors injured, authorities announced Thursday.
Jesus Emmanuel Garcia Acosta, 19, of Lawrence, was indicted in Essex County Superior Court. A 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, both from Lawrence, received charges in Lawrence Juvenile Court, according to a press release from District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office.
All three defendants face three counts each of armed assault with intent to murder and three counts each of assault and battery with a firearm causing serious bodily injury. Each defendant also faces one count of carrying a firearm without a license and one count of carrying a loaded firearm without a license, Tucker’s office reported.
The charges originate from an Aug. 31 shooting on East Dalton Street near Lawrence High School. Officers arrived around 3 p.m., during school dismissal, and discovered three injured teens at the scene, which occurred near but not on school property.
The victims continue to recover from the injuries they sustained in the shooting, the Lawrence Police Department stated on Facebook.
One of the victims, 13-year-old Deandres, suffered a gunshot wound to the face while walking home from school, according to a GoFundMe campaign organized by his mother. Deandres sustained a broken jaw and a serious internal injury that caused significant blood loss, per the campaign.
“He was a bystander and was not involved in what happened,” the GoFundMe states. “He was just a 13-year-old on his way home when everything changed.”
The fundraiser seeks monetary support for Deandres’ ongoing medical appointments and other expenses associated with his recovery, the campaign notes.
Garcia Acosta and the two juveniles entered not guilty pleas and received orders for detention without bail pending dangerousness hearings, the DA’s office confirmed.
The two minors have dangerousness hearings scheduled for Sept. 29, while Garcia Acosta’s hearing is expected to proceed Oct. 1, prosecutors stated.
An attorney representing Garcia Acosta declined to comment Thursday afternoon. Attorney information for the two juveniles was not immediately available.
Lawrence police and Massachusetts State Police continue to investigate the shooting, Tucker’s office confirmed.
“Investigators utilized extensive investigative resources, technology, and available tools to identify those responsible and advance the case to this point,” police said. “The collaborative efforts of the agencies involved were instrumental in bringing this investigation to a safe and decisive conclusion.”
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