Ghost gun recovered in non-fatal shooting of 16-year-old in Chelsea

BOSTON, May 18, 2023 – A teen was arraigned Wednesday in Chelsea District Court on assault and multiple firearm charges for his role in the non-fatal shooting last week of a 16-year-old, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

MOISES FERMIN FLORES, 19, of East Boston is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm without an FID card, possession of ammunition without an FID card, carrying a loaded large capacity firearm on a public way, and defacing a firearm.

Judge Jane Prince ordered Flores held without bail. He will return to court June 20 for a probable cause hearing.

At about 5:15 p.m. on May 10, Chelsea police responded to Bosson Park for several calls reporting a fight, a male with a machete and shots fired. Officers soon located a juvenile with a gunshot wound to his left foot and transported him to a local hospital.

Four individuals, later identified as Moises Fermin Flores, Misael Rodriguez, and two juveniles were stopped shortly after at a Silver Line bus terminal while running away from the scene. Video surveillance shows Flores and Rodriguez each carrying a black handgun. Video shows the victim wielding a machete and advancing toward the four individuals before Rodriguez begins shooting. Rodriguez is seen firing twice, striking the victim once in the foot. After the shooting, Flores, Rodriguez and the two juveniles are observed fleeing up Bellingham Street toward Willow Street before being stopped by police.

Massachusetts State Police retraced the four individuals’ flight path and recovered two black semi-automatic handguns. One had a filed down serial number and the second gun did not have any serial number. Flores told investigators he found the gun in his possession in a park near Logan Airport approximately a week ago.

Misael Rodriguez has not been apprehended at this time.

“This broad-daylight shooting in a public park is yet another example of gun violence that we’re seeing too often, in too many places, with too many people being hurt and too many neighborhoods being terrorized. Along with prosecuting those who carry and use guns, we are working with all of our police departments and all of our civic partners to address the issues that cause gun violence in the first place,” Hayden said.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications