Suspects in Roslindale Police Shootout Allegedly Planned to Rob Undercover Officers

WEST ROXBURY, MA — Two men who allegedly engaged in a police shootout and spurred an hours-long manhunt in Roslindale appeared in court Wednesday, revealing new details about the incident that brought a neighborhood to a standstill Tuesday.

Eric Ronado-Gonzalez and Luis Colon, both 25-year-olds from Dorchester, were slapped with multiple charges, including armed assault, in a West Roxbury municipal courthouse Tuesday, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.

Their arraignment followed a reported shootout with Boston Police and state troopers on Newburg Street in Roslindale, during the course of an undercover investigation into an alleged gun and drug trafficking operation.

Read More: Roslindale Police Shootout Leads to Manhunt

According to Assistant District Attorney Mark Hallal, Boston police and State troopers had put 37 Newburg St. under surveillance as part of an ongoing investigation into drug and gun sales. That investigation started in September as a drug investigation, and later became a firearms probe, according to WBZ News Radio.

In court, Hallal detailed the history of the investigation, including allegations that the suspects sold heroin to undercover troopers three times, and that Rosado-Gonzalez had allegedly offered to sell them guns.

They arranged a deal of two handguns and an Uzi submachinegun for $1,800, scheduled for Tuesday, the DA's office said in a press release.

However, while two undercover troopers stood on the porch preparing to make for the exchange, Rosado-Gonzalez approached a second trooper, still in his vehicle, and put a gun to his head, the DA's office alleges.

"The trooper struggled with him and was able to eject him from the vehicle," a DA's office press release said. "Meanwhile, Colon had allegedly pulled his own gun and became engaged in a struggle with the first trooper. Colon and the trooper both fired but neither struck the other or anyone else."

Both men fled, the DA's office said. Colon was taken into custody a a few blocks away, and Rosado-Gonzalez was arrested later that night, at which time he allegedly gave a statement in which he "essentially admitted" to setting up what he intended to be a robbery, according to the DA's office.

Charges for Colon include: unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a residence and armed assault with intent to murder.

Rosado-Gonzalez was charged with: assault with a dangerous weapon, armed assault with intent to rob, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The judge set bail at $500,000 for each suspect charged with attempted murder, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said. Colon’s open bail in Essex County and Rosado-Gonzalez’ bail on a Dorchester drug case were both revoked, meaning the men will be held without bail for 60 days, the DA's office said.

Both men will return to court Oct. 28.

Image via mass.gov