Following an incident involving gunfire outside Las Palmas Restaurant on Central Avenue, a Dorchester man faced arraignment on kidnapping charges connected to the shooting.
Roberto Ortiz, 19, appeared in Chelsea District Court on Friday, where he was charged with armed kidnapping, armed assault with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, and vandalism.
The prosecution, represented by Assistant District Attorney Philip Cheng, sought $500,000 bail and requested that Ortiz maintain distance from and have no contact with victims and witnesses should he be released. Judge Benjamin Barnes set bail at $19,000 and granted the prosecution’s request for a protective order barring the defendant from accessing identifying information about victims and witnesses.
According to Cheng’s account to the court, Chelsea Police responded to Las Palmas Restaurant on Central Avenue shortly before 1:20 a.m. Friday after receiving a disturbance call. Upon arrival, officers heard two gunshots and found a large crowd in the street. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a man force his way into a victim’s vehicle and compel the driver to leave at gunpoint. Officers received descriptions of both the blue BMW and the suspect, which were relayed to additional units.
A blue BMW was spotted by State Police near Pearl and Williams streets in Chelsea. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it continued until reaching the Meridian Street Bridge in East Boston. Before the vehicle halted, a trooper observed an object being thrown from it. Ortiz was arrested at the scene with assistance from Boston and Chelsea police officers.
According to the driver’s account to police, he ran to his vehicle to escape the restaurant disturbance when a man identified as Ortiz got in, threatened him, and forced him to drive away at gunpoint. Prosecutors noted that Ortiz allegedly made additional threats when the driver tried to stop for State Police.
Chelsea Police identified the occupants of a second vehicle that sustained two bullet holes. One victim was brought to Meridian Street, where he identified Ortiz as the armed man present at the shooting location.
Francisco Napolitano serves as Ortiz’s attorney. A court date is scheduled for May 15.