BOSTON — A man suspected of shooting a New Bedford Police detective in the face last summer was arrested today as he disembarked from an international flight at Boston’s Logan Airport.
Denzel Gomes, 18, was taken into custody without incident around 2 p.m. and was handcuffed with a set of blue New Bedford Police handcuffs.
After clearing customs, Gomes was handed over to the New Bedford Police Major Crimes Unit.
He faces multiple charges including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and carrying a firearm without a license.
The New Bedford Police detective, who was working undercover at the time of the attack on July 17, survived the shooting, which occurred during surveillance operations in the city’s North End.
Another individual nearby was wounded in the foot.
Following the shooting, a joint task force consisting of the New Bedford Police Major Crimes Unit, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (MSP VFAS), the State Police Detective Unit for Bristol County, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) launched an extensive manhunt for the three individuals believed to be in the vehicle from which the shots were fired.
Two were quickly apprehended, while Gomes, the alleged shooter, was identified and indicted by a grand jury on seven counts.
Investigators soon learned that Gomes had fled the country prior to his indictment.
Working with federal law enforcement, they tracked his international movements and were notified today by the USMS that he was returning to the United States.
A coordinated team involving MSP VFAS troopers, the NBPD Major Crimes Unit, USMS deputy marshals, US Customs and Border Protection agents, and MSP Troop F took Gomes into custody upon arrival.
Gomes is scheduled for arraignment at Bristol Superior Court tomorrow.
