3 Arrested at Mass. Baby Shower Brawl

The Washington Times ^ | 4-5-06 | AP

[JZelle]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- A baby shower erupted into a fight among guests in which one man was shot and several other people, including the seven-months-pregnant guest of honor, were beaten with a stick, police say.

Three people were arrested after the brawl, described by police as a "baby shower gone bad."

Police said the shooting victim, Aristotle Garcia, got into a fight with a man who is dating his ex-girlfriend. The argument, over whether the woman let their 5-year-old daughter drink beer, escalated and drew in two other people - Jazz Rivas and Juan Velazquez, said Police Lt. Cheryl C. Claprood.

When the baby shower's hostess tried to intervene, Rivas began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be, with a large stick, she said.

Velazquez fired a gun in the air, then fired it into the crowd, hitting Garcia in the stomach, according to police. Garcia, 26, was in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center. The mother-to-be was treated after the incident Saturday and released.

Velazquez, 19, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, armed assault with intent to murder. He had not yet been arraigned as of Wednesday morning.

The man Garcia was initially fighting with, Antonio Santiago, 25, pleaded innocent to similar charges on Tuesday and was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

[BJClinton]

Thank you for posting this. We're in the final trimester and it's "shower season". This is just what I need to get out of it.

[xsrdx]

fanny packs, man-bags, the wussification of the American male

Hold on now, roger on the piercings - but a man has to have a way to pack his gear!

[Big Digger]

I dunno...making babies?

[ozzymandus]

Just brawling at the baby showers Americans won't brawl at.

[Deguello]

Try Portuguese. That's what they got up there.

[visualops]

Just throwing the parties that Americans refuse to throw

LOL!!!

[visualops]

Boy it's sure changed in the last 25 years.
Springfiled is right over the border from Conn. near Enfield isn't it? I remember that area as being pretty quiet and nice working/middle class.

[nuconvert]

And I'll bet no one hit the mother-to-be with a large stick, either.
Must have been pretty dull.

[girlangler]

Ha, I was just going to post that this sounds like my Mother's family get togethers.

BTW (and I'm not kidding) my Mother's maiden name is McCoy.

You ain't no Hatfield are ye?

[Blzbba]

We should all be embracing this wonderful culture.
//sarc

[surely_you_jest]

Oh, the joys of multiculturalism.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

The fight dissipated when someone yelled "GREEN CARD!"

[martin_fierro]

The Baby Shower ended in a Hail of Bullets.

[mikrofon]

Rivas began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be, with a large stick

Isn't this usually reserved for the mother after she has the ugly baby?

[girlscout]

Can't wait to read about the baptism party.

Baptism, smaptism ... what about delivery day? That ought to be a real hoot!

[N. Theknow]

Rivas began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be, with a large stick,

And the child shall be named Pinata.

[N. Theknow]

Rivas began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be, with a large stick,

And the child shall be named Pinata.

[TXBSAFH]

The diaper bag?

[hatfieldmccoy]

My Freeper moniker actually was the name of a long deceased but much loved cat that I belonged to.

[windcliff]

lol.