BY GAYLA CAWLEY
LYNN — Two men were arrested after a shooting led to a police chase last Friday.
Officers responded to 122 Essex St. on a report of a gunshot. Upon arrival, police were met by a 40-year-old man who lives in the second floor apartment. The man directed officers to a 37-year-old man who pointed to a bullet hole in the bathroom ceiling of his second floor apartment. The hole appeared to come from the third floor, according to a police report obtained at Lynn District Court.
The man officers initially met with then told police that he had observed a new silver Chevrolet with New Jersey plates speeding from the building. An officer relayed that information to other police and soon another officer reported that he was behind a vehicle matching that description, the report said.
Officers forced their way into the third floor apartment where the bullet hole was believed to have originated. No one was inside. But a shell casing was found in a room above where the bullet hole was located. In the same room, officers found twists of white powder, a scale, a larger bag of brown powder, believed to be heroin, and two plants that appeared to be marijuana, according to the report.
Officers secured the scene until a search warrant was obtained. Police learned from the second witness who showed them the bullet hole in his bathroom that he was eating dinner when he heard a loud bang upstairs and people ran downstairs. He then noticed the hole in his ceiling, but didn’t see the people who left, according to the report.
While awaiting the search warrant, officers saw a man and woman get out of their car and walk up towards the third floor. The man, Randely Lora, 22, told police that he lived in the secured third floor apartment. Due to the large amount of narcotics in his apartment, Lora was arrested and charged with heroin and cocaine trafficking and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, according to the report.
During this time, an officer reported he was behind the suspect vehicle that fled the building. He followed it on Lynnfield Street. Inside the vehicle appeared to be two black men. The officer reported that he attempted to stop the vehicle by putting on his lights and siren, but it accelerated and didn’t stop. Police followed the vehicle onto the rotary and onto Route 128 North, according to the report.
The vehicle pulled over on Route 114 by Kappy’s Liquor Store and Honeydew Donut Shop near Peabody and a man jumped out and ran towards the rear parking lot. The vehicle then continued on Route 114 towards Peabody, with the pursuit terminated for traffic and public safety reasons. Officers chased the man, identified as Miguel Mantilla, 29, on foot, who ran towards a wooded area behind the building and through a marsh. Mantilla refused to stop. Police were then joined by Peabody, Danvers and State Police, along with a State Police helicopter. Mantilla eventually emerged from the marsh and said “I give up” with his arms up, according to the report.
Mantilla was ordered at gunpoint to turn around and after complying was arrested. He told police he lived at 122 Essex St. Officers learned he had an outstanding warrant. He was charged with heroin/morphine/opium trafficking, according to the report.
Lynn Police Lt. Richard Donnelly said the investigation is ongoing and Mantilla could have charges pending. He said it is still unclear who pulled the trigger that precipitated the events.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.