Two Massachusetts men — one of them a teenager — have been arrested for the brazen shooting death of a customer at a Brockton hibachi restaurant Friday night.
Jamal Bazile, 18, is charged with one count each of murder, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, and discharge of a firearm, according to WCVB. Nathan Veiga, 22, is charged with murder and accessory before the fact. Both entered please of not guilty at their arraignments on Tuesday.
They are charged in connection with the death of 22-year-old Joe Araujo, who was shot to death at Hibachu Sushi Supreme Buffet in a Brockton shopping center, as CrimeOnline reported. The shooting was captured on surveillance video, which showed the masked gunman walk up to the table where Araujo was eating and shot him at point blank range.
Araujo was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center with gunshots to his abdomen and leg and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Brockton police said no one else was hurt in the shooting, which sent other patrons — including families with children — scrambling.
In court on Tuesday, prosecutors said Araujo was dining with his girlfriend shortly before 7:30 p.m., WCVB said. Veiga, who is in a rival “group,” entered the restaurant and saw him there. He went back outside to the car he arrived in and spoke with other people in the vehicle. Then Bazile went back into the restaurant, walked up to Araujo’s table, and fired three shots, two of which hit him.
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office said Brockton police used the surveillance footage from the restaurant and interviews with witnesses to identify Bazile and Veiga as suspects. They executed a search warrant at Veiga’s home, where they found the distinct jacket Bazile was wearing when he shot Araujo, and arrested Veiga.
They found Bazile at a home in Hyannis on Monday and said he became combative and assaulted two police officers before he was taken into custody. He was in possession of a 9mm Smith and Wesson firearm, loaded with four rounds of ammunition.
Judge Michael Vitali ordered Bazile and Veiga held without bond and set a probable cause hearing for February 13.
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[Featured image: Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office via WCVB]
