One teenager has been arrested on a murder charge after the shooting death of an 18-year-old student at Salem State University.
The victim, Carl-Hens Beliard of Worcester, Massachusetts, died from his injuries after the shooting on Halloween night in Salem.
Police announced Wednesday night that 18-year-old man Missael Peña Canela Salem had been arrested on a murder charge. He will be arraigned Thursday morning in Salem District Court.
Authorities declined to say whether the suspect is a student at Salem State.
Beliard was found in a vehicle fatally wounded and he was pronounced dead after being taken to Salem Hospital, according to Salem police, the Essex County District Attorney's Office and Salem State University President John Keenan said in a statement.
"As both the Salem State president and a college dad, this tragedy is heartbreaking for all in our community and every parent's worst nightmare," Keenan said in a statement.
Beliard's mother shared her grief with NBC10 Boston Wednesday.
“The police came and knocked on my door and told me my son is dead," said Altegrece Beliard. "I said it cannot be true. I talked to him on Tuesday.”
She said her son was a hard worker, a standout basketball player and good student.
"I want justice, because it’s so much, I want to find the person that did that to him," she said before the arrest was announced.
"To see him graduate high school, and go on to college and play basketball at his number one school. We were all excited for him, excited to go see him play this year," said Alan Pettway, Beliard's former coach. "Unfortunately, that was cut short."
The shooting on Forest Avenue near Lussier Street, next to a Salem State University student parking lot, was reported about 1:24 a.m., police said. The parking lot was cordoned off and police diverted traffic in both directions.
Investigators were also examining a home where a black car appeared to have crashed into a concrete barrier. A bullet hole could be seen in the center of the rear window.
There were several police crime scene markers on the street, suggesting that more than one shot was fired — officials haven't shared information on how the shooting was believed to have unfolded.
Beliard was on the Worcester North basketball team that won the state's Division 1 championship last year.
He was also on the Boston Warriors basketball team, whose coach, Mark Papas, described Beliard Wednesday as fun-loving and a hard worker.
"A very sad day," he said in an email.
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The shooting erupted on Salem's biggest night of the year, Halloween. Police were out in force to keep safe the tens of thousands who flock to the city to celebrate.
"We don't really get trick-or-treaters, it's really mostly students," said Alyssa Jackson, who lives in the home that was under investigation. "Just knowing whoever did this wasn't found, that's the biggest thing for me. I don't know if they had a motive... I think that makes this a little scary. You know, why would they do it?"
Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo offered condolences to Beliard's family and the Salem State community in a statement, adding, “I’m grateful to the Salem Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, District Attorney’s office, and SSU Police for all of their swift action in response to this terrible act of violence, and I’m hopeful that their efforts will quickly bring the responsible party to justice for this crime.”
