Malden Police Take Down Medford Shooting Suspect

MALDEN, MA – A man wanted for firing multiple shots at a group of people near the LaPrise Village housing development in Medford was arrested Friday morning in Malden after allegedly fleeing a special police unit.

Junior Saint John, 27, of Peabody, will be arraigned Sept. 4 on charges of assault with intent to murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, Medford Police said.

Officers responded to the area of Rockwell and Riverside Avenues shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday and found several witnesses who were trying to flee the scene. No one was shot or injured, according to police. Investigators believe Saint John fled down Rockwell Avenue to Riverside Avenue, where he may have gotten into a dark SUV and fled the area.

Police believe Saint John was targeting a specific person in a crowd near LaPrise Village.

Saint John was arrested at Willard Street in Malden due to the combined efforts of Malden Police, Everett Police, Peabody Police, and the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section. Police said he tried to flee the residence when officers entered, but was taken into custody by the Malden Police Special Operations Unit. Police and the suspect were not injured.

"Although we feel there is no need to panic because this was not a random shooting, we are urging people in this area to use caution because this reckless person with a gun endangers the lives of everyone that may be around his target," the Medford Police Department said in a previous statement.

Subscribe to Malden Patch for more local news and real-time alerts, and ‘like us’ on Facebook for more conversation!

Got a local news tip? Email mike.carraggi@patch.com.

Image via Medford Police Department

Alex Newman, Patch, contributed to this report