New Bedford man charged in July 5 shooting

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — New Bedford police have arrested a suspect in a July 5 shooting incident that left one person hospitalized.

Jose Mendez-Garcia, 33, of New Bedford, was arrested on July 10 and charged with assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building among other charges.

He is additionally charged with possession of an open container of alcohol, carrying a loaded large-capacity firearm without a license and receiving stolen property.

Narcotics detectives conducting surveillance in the area of Nye Street and Acushnet Avenue on July 10 approached a group of males drinking alcohol in public.

They learned that one of the subjects had discarded a bag that was retrieved and was found to contain a loaded Smith and Wesson handgun that was later found to be stolen out of Taunton.

Further investigation determined Mendez-Garcia to be a suspect in a July 5th shooting that occurred outside of 12 Roosevelt Street.

Mendez-Garcia has three prior convictions for violence and drug-related offenses and was additionally charged with a firearm violation with three prior violent/drug-related crimes.