New Bedford Double Shooting Perpetrator Sentenced

NEW BEDFORD — The last of four people connected to a double shooting outside of a New Bedford gas station in July 2020 has been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office said 25-year-old Brian Ortiz will also serve two years on supervised release following his prison sentence, after pleading guilty last week to charges including assault and battery by discharge of a firearm.

Ortiz was involved in the double shooting outside the Petro Mart gas station on Coggeshall Street on July 26, 2020.

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According to the D.A.'s office, Ortiz and his girlfriend Ashlee Cambra, along with co-defendants Giovanni Vale-Valentin and Tyrell Woodis-Pina, got into an argument with another reputed gang member at the Petro Mart.

The gas station clerk ordered all those involved in the argument out of the store — but once outside, a fist fight began between Ortiz and one of the victims.

Woodis-Pina then got a gun out of the car, and Vale-Valentin fired it three times, hitting one of the victims, the D.A.'s office said.

Ortiz took the gun and shot twice at the second victim, who was also hit and injured by the gunfire.

The four co-defendants left the scene after the shooting.

Woodis-Pina was convicted in October 2021 and is serving a three to seven year prison sentence, while Cambra was sentenced in July to serve four to six years in prison for her role in the shooting.

Vale-Valentin will serve six to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty and was sentenced in August.

Ortiz, a former member of the Latin Kings gang, is now a South First Street gang member, according to the D.A.'s office.

He has a prior conviction for illegally possessing a firearm.

Last week Ortiz admitted to two counts of assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, two counts of attempted assault and battery with a firearm, and one count of carrying an illegal firearm (subsequent offense.)

"The defendant’s actions in possessing an illegal firearm and shooting the victim in a 'Wild West' scene clearly demonstrates that he is a danger to the community and must be kept off the street to protect the public," Bristol District Attorney Thomas Quinn said.