Two Gunfire Incidents, One Robbery in Pittsfield Over the Weekend

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police responded to two ShotSpotter gunfire locator activations and a convenience store robbery in the city over the weekend.

On Saturday around 7:44 p.m., the Pittsfield Police Department found multiple shell casings and a vehicle and residence that were struck by gunfire after responding to a ShotSpotter activation on the 300 block of Columbus Avenue. No injuries were reported.

Another ShotSpotter activation occurred on Sunday around 5:24 p.m. near the intersection of Tyler Street and Burbank Street. Shell casings were also discovered in the area but no damage was found and no injuries were reported.

That same day around 8 p.m., police responded to the Lipton Mart gas station and convenience store at 580 North St. for a reported robbery.

The suspect reportedly entered the store, threatened the clerk with a knife, demanded cash, and then fled in an unknown direction with a small amount of cash. An investigation revealed that the suspect is most likely a white male.



Both gunfire incidents are under investigation.

Information regarding these cases can be sent to Detective Bertelli-Hunt at 413-448-9700, Ext. 532. Information can also be provided anonymously via the Detective Bureau Tip Line at 413-448-9706, or by texting PITTIP and your message to TIP411 (847411).

 


Tags: robbery,   

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DA Provides Updates on 4 Pittsfield Summer Shootings

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— District Attorney Timothy Shugrue delivered updates on a string of gun violence incidents over the summer and said even one is too much.

"This summer was extremely upsetting to people living in Pittsfield and our entire Berkshire community. While we live in a safe community, it is always disheartening to hear these gunshots. In the past four years, there has been a remarkable reduction in gun violence," he said during a press conference at the Berkshire DA's office on Thursday. 

"Since January 2023, there has been a 62 percent reduction of validated shootings in the City of Pittsfield." 

There were four separate incidents involving gunfire in Pittsfield this past summer.   Some suspects were charged, and some are still being sought by police. 

On June 18, a person died after being shot in the area of Tyler Street and Pleasure Avenue, and another person was injured. Following an extensive investigation, the Pittsfield Police Department applied for and was granted an arrest warrant for Terry Martizna, wanted for murder. 

Shugrue reported that his office is working with various authorities, including federal, to secure Martizna's return to the Berkshires. He said he was involved the whole weekend of the incident after being "immediately" contacted by the PPD. 

"My office was on notice, and we continued to work with them throughout the night. I can tell you that they worked all night long; they never stopped working. I was really pleased with the amount of effort that was going into it, and by the next day, we had a pretty good clue of where we were going. But the amount of surveillance that they had to go through was incredible, and it was just commendable," he added. 

"The amount of support we got from the community, from the Pittsfield residents, and from the work that these officers put in all weekend long, they were able to identify certain locations where this individual was, and that continued all the way in through Monday morning. By that Saturday, I was informed that we had a suspect that we were just producing the probable cause reports, and that was all which led to the warrant coming out."

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