Framingham Suspect Pleads Not Guilty To Attempted Murder, Firearms Charges

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The local pizza shop owner who was at the center of a police standoff atop his pizza shop Thursday night was arraigned Friday in Framingham District Court on multiple attempted murder and firearm charges. Justin Brakespear, 31, pleaded not guilty. He was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for next week, and he also must undergo a mental health evaluation.

Breakspear, the owner of the Slice of New York Pizza shop on Edgell Road, was charged with six counts of armed assault with intent to murder, six counts of attempt to commit murder, possession of ammunition without a license, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, possession of a firearm without a license, assault with a dangerous weapon, witness intimidation, four counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device and possession of a firearm after two violent crime or drug convictions.

Prosecutors Friday revealed more about the evening in which Breakspear had an earlier encounter with police.

WATCH: State Police Air Wing Footage Of Thursday's Standoff

Framingham Police had responded to a civil matter involving Breakspear and a female at the Slice of New York Pizza shop around 6:12 p.m. Officers addressed the parties involved and cleared the area, a Framingham Police release said.

At 8:36 p.m., police responded to a call about Breakspear leaving his home with a gun. Officers allegedly saw him with what appeared to be a black rifle sling across his shoulder. When six officers approached Breakspear, he allegedly opened fire. Framingham Police said Thursday night they dispatched such a heavy response "due to his history." Brakespear appeared in Patch's Framingham Police logs in 2015 for drug charges. A Google search of his name shows a Justin Brakespear of consistent age getting in other trouble with the law.

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Breakspear was spotted at a Water Street Property near Edgell Road after a witness said he saw a man near his shop. State Police, which had dispatched an Air Wing, spotted him on the roof of the Slice of New York Pizza building. He would later surrender, but not before police had issued a shelter-in-place advisory and shut down the area near Nobscot Square.

READ ALSO: Pizza Shop Owner Triggers Shelter-In-Place, Standoff

Framingham PD photo