Haverhill teen charged with firing needle-tipped Nerf bullets

Mike LaBella, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read

May 6—Police have charged a Haverhill teen with using a Nerf gun to fire bullets with needles in their tips at a woman and her child.

Police charged Gianni Aviles, 18, of 40 Oak Terrace with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Aviles was arraigned on the charges last week in Haverhill District Court.

According to a police report, officers were called to 62 Portland St. April 24 at 5:45 p.m. A woman who was there told police she was getting out of her car when a black Honda Accord with several men inside drove up and shot at her with a Nerf gun, the report said.

The woman told police that she felt a "poke" on the right side of her chest and that she pulled out a Nerf bullet with a needle sticking out of it. She said she did not require medical attention.

The woman said her 4-year-old son was also shot at, and the bullet that landed near him also had a needle sticking out of its tip, the report said.

The woman gave the two Nerf bullets to police, the report said.

Police said they reviewed surveillance video of the area that showed a black Honda Accord approaching the victim and a man in a white tank top sticking his arm out the rear passenger side window and pointing what appeared to be a Nerf gun at the woman's son, who was sitting in front of 62 Portland St.

Police said they issued an alert for the Honda, which they stopped at 7:35 p.m. in the area of South Main and Ferry streets in Bradford.

Four people were in the car — the driver and three passengers, including Aviles, the police report said.

The driver admitted to police that his friends had been chasing each other around and shooting at each other, but that he was unaware strangers had also been shot at, the report said.

Aviles told police he shot at the woman and her child on Portland Street, the report said.

A search of the Honda by police turned up a number of Nerf bullets that matched the description of those shot at the woman and her son, as well as some needles, the report said.

Police said they found a Nerf gun in the trunk of the Honda, and that the gun was loaded with a Nerf bullet tipped with a needle.

Recommended Stories

  • Police clear teacher caught on camera spanking a child with a paddle

    ‘I sacrificed my daughter, so all parents can realise what’s happening in this school,’ mother of six-year-old says

  • Reward of up to $5,000 offered in case of 18 firearms stolen from Kentucky store

    A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to identification and conviction of people involved in the theft of 18 firearms from a Kentucky gun store.

  • ‘Life turns on a dime’: She donated $950 from her first stimulus check to a food bank — then received a cancer diagnosis

    After her financial circumstances changed, Toi Cudworth delayed payments on some loans, and bought frozen chicken and veggies because they’re cheaper and they last longer.

  • 2 California students were sentenced to life in prison for stabbing and killing a police officer in Rome

    California natives Finnegan Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, were sentenced on Wednesday to life imprisonment for murder.

  • Pentagon tracking path of falling Chinese rocket

    The Pentagon said Wednesday it's tracking the uncontrolled descent of the Long March-5B Y2 rocket that carried a Chinese Space Station module to orbit last week.Details: Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters the rocket's debris was expected to return to Earth "somewhere around" May 8 and that the U.S. Space Command has said "almost the entire body of the rocket" remains intact. "It's too soon to know exactly where it's going to come down," he added.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for freeOur thought bubble, via Axios' Miriam Kramer: This isn't the first time a rocket or spacecraft launched by China's space agency has come down to Earth uncontrolled. Space watchers also played a waiting game as China’s Tiangong-1 space station came back through the atmosphere in 2018, eventually burning up above the Pacific Ocean.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

  • Arkansas governor said he doesn't think it's 'healthy' for GOP to consider ousting Liz Cheney over Trump criticism

    Asa Hutchinson defended Cheney after House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday some members voiced concerns about Cheney's "ability to carry out the job as conference chair."

  • Divorce is usually caused by one of the '3 i's,' therapists say. Here's what they are, and how they destroy a marriage.

    Conflict caused by incompatibility or irreconcilable differences can impact a couple over the course of their marriage, therapist Tess Brigham said.

  • New Hampshire couple viciously beaten near bus stop while on Florida vacation

    The man and woman were bloodied and bruised near Miami Beach, and are still recovering from serious injuries.

  • Disneyland's Snow White ride faces backlash over Prince Charming's kiss

    Following a SFGATE article, Disneyland's Snow White ride faces backlash over Prince Charming planting a "kiss without consent."

  • Atlanta police bodycam video shows moments before Rayshard Brooks fatal shooting

    Though he still faces felony murder charges, the officer charged with shooting Rayshard Brooks was given his job back by an Atlanta review board.

  • Rep. Liz Cheney says House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy 'changed his story' on the Capitol riot

    In a scathing op-ed article Wednesday, Rep. Liz Cheney described the continued GOP support of former President Donald Trump as "immensely harmful."

  • US students jailed for life over murder of Italian police officer in drug deal gone wrong

    Two young Americans have been sentenced to life in prison by a court in Rome after being found guilty of knifing to death an Italian policeman and assaulting another officer in an altercation sparked by a drug deal that went awry. Finnegan Lee Elder, now 21, had admitted to stabbing the officer after a night out in the capital, while his friend Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, now 20, injured a second officer during the fracas. They insisted they had been acting in self-defence because they were convinced the two plain clothes policemen were in fact thugs attacking them in the wake of the botched drug deal. But that justification was dismissed by the jury in the trial, which handed down its decision close to midnight on Wednesday after hours of deliberation. Their lawyers immediately announced they would appeal the verdict and sentence, setting the stage for a legal process that could drag on for years, as it did for another American accused of murder in Italy - Amanda Knox. Defendants in Italy have the right to two levels of appeal, meaning that cases such as this can last for many years. The two young men, both from California, were also found guilty of attempted extortion, assault, resisting a public official and carrying a knife without just cause. The killing of police officers in Italy is extremely rare. The murder of Mario Cerciello Rega, a 35-year-old vice-brigadier in the Carabinieri who had just returned from his honeymoon, shocked many Italians and sparked national mourning. The officer was hailed as a tragic hero and his funeral was broadcast live on television. His colleague, police officer Andrea Varriale, was injured in the confrontation.

  • Woman who gave birth on flight to Honolulu didn't know she was pregnant

    Luckily, three qualified medical experts were aboard to help deliver the baby. Coincidentally, they're all nurses from a neonatal intensive care unit.

  • Hornets’ Bismack Biyombo is no fan of NBA’s new play-in format. Here’s his objection

    Veteran center Bismack Biyombo, an officer in the players association, has competitive objections to NBA play-in format.

  • NASA is developing plans to build an enormous, Arecibo-like telescope inside a crater on the moon

    NASA researchers are plotting out how robots could build a radio telescope inside a moon crater. It would show the universe in new wavelengths.

  • Alpaca farm was illegally bought with COVID loans, feds say. Now pizzeria owner charged

    The Vermont resident is also accused of purchasing airtime for a cryptocurrency-themed radio show.

  • Sen. Joni Ernst, the only other woman in GOP leadership, defends Liz Cheney

    Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) defended Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) amid a growing effort to oust her as House Republican conference chair, emphasizing the need to "come together as a party," Politico reports.Why it matters: Ernst is the only other woman in elected GOP leadership, serving as the vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.Cheney's criticisms of former President Trump, whom she voted to impeach for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, has escalated tensions within the party.Trump and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) publicly endorsed Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to replace Cheney, while GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was caught on a hot mic on Tuesday saying he's "lost confidence" in Cheney and "has had it with" her behavior.What she's saying: Ernst told Politico she doesn't agree with Cheney's anti-Trump stance, but maintained that the No. 3 House Republican has the right to express her opinions.“I appreciate President Trump and I appreciate all he has done for our country. And I think we made significant strides forward under the Trump administration, especially in our economy. But everybody has the right to express their opinion," she said."Any elected official should stand their ground. If you feel firmly about something, you should stand your ground.""But I also believe that we need to come together as a party, recognize we have differences within the party but the goal with us should be to win seats,” Ernst added.The big picture: Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. She could be ousted from leadership when the House GOP conference meets next Wednesday.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

  • Fake COVID vaccine cards sold at bar lead to owner’s arrest, California officials say

    The bar owner could face charges for falsifying medical records, using a fake seal and identify theft.

  • The Indonesian coral reef built on hope

    On the Daily Climate Show, why UK supermarkets could boycott products from Brazil and the Indonesian coral reef built on hope.

  • Republicans are already preparing for the 2024 campaign. But Trump looms large

    Just six months after the last presidential election, ambitious Republicans are already busy laying the groundwork for the next one.