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Henry “J.R.” Del-Rio is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous Weapon (firearm), attempted assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (firearm), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and carrying a firearm subsequent offense, the Middlesex District Attorney said.
Del-Rio is accused of shooting Ashlee Berryman, the mother of a then 3-year-old boy, outside Braza Grille nightclub in Everett, the prosecutor said. They had both gone to a concert earlier that night.
Middlesex DA Marian Ryan said Del Rio fired into a crowd of people.
Ashlee Berryman, a completely innocent victim, was caught in a hail of gunfire and lost her life. The defendant is alleged to have randomly fired a gun over and over in a crowded parking lot, and unsurprisingly there was a terrible result. ... Today’s charges are yet another example of how (the Cold Case) Unit is ensuring that those who commit violent acts in this County understand that the mere passage of time will do nothing to affect our resolve in pursuing them.
The shooting happened just before 1 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2015. Berryman was standing in the parking lot speaking with friends and her boyfriend, who had performed at the concert when nine shots rang out.
Del-Rio, an alleged member of the East Side Money Gang of Chelsea, is accused of firing at two men who had gotten into an argument with a friend of his, the prosecutor said. One of the men was shot in his feet and ankles.
Berryman was shot in the back. Bullets also hit a passing car, the front window of a Rite-Aid across the street, and a wooden sign.
Del-Rio told friends that he was responsible for the killing and asked for help disposing of the .40-caliber pistol he used in the shooting, the prosecutor said. That weapon has not been found.
Del-Rio was already in custody in connection to a federal case when prosecutors charged him with Berryman's killing.
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