New Bedford Double Shooting Suspect Charged With Murder

NEW BEDFORD — The 18-year-old man arrested Friday morning in connection with Friday’s fatal double shooting in New Bedford has now been formally charged with murder, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office announced Sunday.

Jon Zell will be arraigned Monday morning in New Bedford on charges of:

– Murder
– Carrying an illegal firearm
– Carrying a loaded illegal firearm
– Discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building
– 10 counts of armed assault with intent to murder

New Bedford Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, and Homicide Unit prosecutors are actively investigating the incident.

New Bedford Police received 911 calls regarding shots fired on Lafrance Street at around 10:21 a.m. Friday. When officers arrived on scene, they located one of two victims and rushed him to St. Luke's Hospital. That victim, who was later identified as 40-year-old Angel Cruz of New Bedford, was later pronounced deceased.

A second shooting victim was able to get into a vehicle and attempted to drive to the hospital, but crashed in the area of Linden and County Streets. That victim, a 32-year-old New Bedford man, was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital before being transported to Rhode Island Hospital. This victim, who is not being identified at this time, is listed in stable condition as of Sunday afternoon.

While police were investigating the double-shooting, they received a description of the shooter. About 45 minutes after the double-shooting, New Bedford Police officers came upon a man matching the shooter's description near the corner of Penniman and Reynolds Streets. When officers approached the man, later identified as Zell, he began firing a handgun at them. After firing all the bullets in the gun, police were able to subdue him and take him into custody.

No officers were injured during the incident and none of the officers returned fire on the suspect before getting him into custody.

​Tomorrow's arraignment will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James Powderly.

— Bristol County District Attorney’s Office