Pittsfield Police, DA’s Office Team Up to Stop Wave of Gun Violence

Pittsfield now has a task force dedicated to stopping the gun violence that's rattled the city since mid-June. The District Attorney will be on the air with us on Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. to discuss this plan further.

On Monday afternoon, DA Shugrue met along with his First and Second Assistant District Attorneys, met with the Chief Marc Maddalena of the Pittsfield Police, Detective Lieutenant Ryan Dickinson of the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit, Captain Marc Strout of the Pittsfield Police Detective Bureau, and additional members of the Pittsfield Police Department.

The result is a new task force aimed squarely at ending the violence. It will be led by First Assistant District Attorney Marianne Shelvey, who spent time at the Department of Justice's Violent Crimes and Racketeering Section before coming to Berkshire County. The team will pull in Pittsfield Police, the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit, and the Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force, backed by extra personnel and overtime funding through grants awarded to the DA's office.

The recent shootings in Pittsfield

Here's what's happened so far. On June 18, a shooting near Tyler Street and Pleasure Avenue left one person dead and another injured. Police got an arrest warrant for Terry Martizna on a murder charge. On August 4, about 25 rounds were fired near Onota and Walnut Street, injuring two people. On August 16, a third shooting near Francis Avenue and Linden Street left three people hurt. None of the injuries in the second and third incidents were life-threatening.

Investigators say both adults and juveniles are involved, and while it's not yet clear if the three shootings are connected, they believe the violence has been targeted, not random.

If you have information about illegal firearms or these incidents, call Pittsfield Police at 413-448-9700, or text PITTIP and your tip to 847411.