ROXBURY, MA—During a basketball tournament at Malcolm X Park on Wednesday night, Boston Police arrested two individuals and seized a firearm. The Youth Violence Strike Force took action around 9:36 PM, arresting 18-year-olds Anthony Diaz from Malden and Braxten Baker from Brockton.
Officers were monitoring the event to enhance public safety when they noticed Diaz and Baker, who appeared uninterested in the game and focused instead on the police presence. Observations led to suspicions that Diaz might be armed.
When Diaz attempted to leave the tournament prematurely and fled upon police approach, he was quickly apprehended after a brief chase. Officers found a firearm concealed in his shorts. Meanwhile, Baker interfered with the arrest, leading to his own arrest for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The recovered weapon was a black Ruger semi-automatic handgun with a defaced serial number and a laser attachment. The gun was loaded with one round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine. Diaz faces multiple charges, including carrying and possessing a firearm illegally, and will be arraigned in Roxbury District Court.
