Thread: Man arrested after shot fired at trooper, dog (updated)

By Martha Schick GLOBE CORRESPONDENT APRIL 30, 2016

A Sierra Leone man already facing deportation on felony charges was arrested early Saturday morning in Springfield after allegedly firing at a Massachusetts State Police K-9 unit, according to State Police.

Police said they received a report of Mohamed Fofanah, 35, driving just 10 miles per hour on Interstate 91 southbound at 12:15 a.m.

The vehicle he was driving was wanted for hitting three separate vehicles in traffic moments earlier, according to David Procopio, a spokesman for the State Police.

Fofanah exited the highway and abandoned his vehicle after crashing again, then walked toward Main Street, Procopio said.

K-9 Trooper David Stucenski and his canine partner, Frankie, found him. When Fofanah refused to stop and surrender his weapon, Stucenski deployed the dog, police said in a statement.

Fofanah allegedly fired one shot but didn’t hit the officer or the dog, who was able to subdue him, according to the statement.

He was treated for minor injuries at Baystate Medical Center and is being charged with attempted murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, various firearm violations, leaving the scene of property damage, and mistreatment of a police dog.

Upon further investigation after his arrest, Fofanah was found to be in the country illegally and to have multiple felony charges against him in Connecticut, Procopio said.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer against him while he remains in custody at the Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction and awaits deportation, according to Procopio.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...ITN/story.html

Massachusetts State Police: Illegal immigrant charged with shooting at police dog in Springfield

By Patrick Johnson
on May 02, 2016 at 9:47 AM, updated May 02, 2016 at 5:38 PM

SPRINGFIELD – The man accused of shooting at a state trooper and a police dog early Saturday has been identified as an undocumented immigrant who now stands to be deported, according to Massachusetts State Police.

The suspect, identified as Mohamed Fofanah, 35, from Hartford, is charged with multiple counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, attempted murder, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and mistreatment of a police dog.

State police said that a records check of Fofanah revealed he is a "deportable felon," based on felony offenses committed in Connecticut. As a result of his arrest in Springfield, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been contacted and has filed a detainer against Fofanah.

A detainer is a request from the federal agency to local law enforcement to hold onto a suspect for additional time, generally 48 hours, to allow the agency to take custody to begin deportation proceedings.

According to state police spokesman David Procopio, Fofanah is from Sierra Leone.

At the time of his arrest, he was wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet, and had previously been identified by ICE for deportation, Procopio said.

According to Connecticut Court records, Fofanah was sentenced in 2010 to five years in prison for criminal possession of a firearm. The sentence was to be suspended after 30 months, and he was released on probation in December 2013.

Fofanah is held at the Hampshire County House of Correction pending his arraignment Tuesday in Springfield.


Massachusetts State Police K-9 dog Frankie
Massachusetts State Police photo

According to state police, troopers were called Interstate 91 in the South End of Springfield to assist Springfield police in locating a driver involved in a hit-and-run accident moments earlier. They found the car abandoned on East Columbus at the Balise dealership.

Trooper David Stucenski and his K-9 partner Frankie tracked Fofanah from the car to Main Street, but when Stucenski ordered him to stop, he turned and fired a single shot from a .357 handgun. No one was hit by the gunfire.

Frankie, a trained Belgian Malinois, at that point charged after Fofanah and began wrestling with him, causing Fofanah to drop the gun. Procopio said Fofanah tried to choke the dog during the struggle, Propocio said.

The dog was able to gain control of him until Stucenski and another trooper secured the weapon and placed him in custody.

Fofanah was treated at Baystate Medical Center for minor bite injuries suffered during his arrest.

Troopers from Troop B, the Crime Scene Services Section, the Ballistics Unit, and the State Police Detective Unit assigned to Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni's office assisted with the investigation of the shooting and arrest.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...olice_ill.html

Mohamed Fofanah acquitted of attempted murder, guilty of assault for shooting at Massachusetts trooper

By Buffy Spencer
on April 07, 2017 at 5:29 PM, updated April 07, 2017 at 5:30 PM

SPRINGFIELD - A jury late Friday acquitted Mohamed Fofanah of armed assault with intent to murder in a case where he was charged with shooting at a state police trooper.

After deliberating for about three hours, the jury found Fofanah, 36, of Hartford, guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, with the victim being the trooper, David Stucenski.

The jury also found Fofanah guilty of carrying a firearm without a license (subsequent offense), carrying a loaded firearm, possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

Jurors acquitted Fofanah on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. He had been accused of pointing a gun at two civilians following him in a car after they witnessed an auto accident involving Fofanah's car.

And jurors acquitted Fofanah of mistreating or interfering with a police dog. Stucenski had testified when his canine partner Frankie jumped Fofanah, Fofanah punched Frankie with a close fist and choked him until Frankie got free and got a different hold on Fofanah. Fofanah was treated for bite wounds.

Sentencing is set for Monday before Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara.

Stucenski testified Fofanah fired a shot at him in the early morning hours of April 30, 2016, in the city's South End.

Stucenski said Fofanah was 15 to 20 feet away when he fired and missed. Fofanah fired the gun when Frankie was "just about" on top of of the suspect.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Schmidt told jurors in his opening statement Thursday that when the gun Fofanah used was recovered at the scene, there were five live rounds and one spent shell in it. The gun's serial number was obliterated, he said.

Andrew M. Klyman, Fofanah's lawyer, said his client was not firing at the trooper with the intent to harm him. He asked jurors to listen to the testimony about the actions of Stucenski and, more importantly, the actions of Frankie.

Schmidt said a civilian called 911 after seeing a motorist crash into several vehicles and then leave his car off West Columbus Avenue.

Stucenski testified he was responding to a dispatch about the incident. He said Fofanah walked toward him under an underpass. The trooper said Fofanah didn't respond to repeated orders to stop, even when Stucenski warned that he would release his canine.

"Canine Frankie is much faster than I am," Stucenski said, saying the dog was running toward Fofanah when Fofanah took a gun from his waistband and "fired directly at me."

Stucenski said at that point he didn't have his own gun out.

When Fofanah was arrested, a Massachusetts State Police spokesman said he was an undocumented immigrant who now stands to be deported.

State police said that a records check of Fofanah revealed he is a "deportable felon," based on felony offenses committed in Connecticut. As a result of his arrest in Springfield, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and has filed a detainer against Fofanah.

According to state police spokesman David Procopio, Fofanah is from Sierra Leone. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet, and had previously been identified by ICE for deportation, Procopio said.

According to Connecticut court records, Fofanah was sentenced in 2010 to five years in prison for criminal possession of a firearm. The sentence was to be suspended after 30 months, and he was released on probation in December 2013.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...tted_of_a.html

Illegal with a gun...