For Immediate Release

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-742-3922
Email: [email protected]

Whitman Police Arrest Two Men Following Vandalism Spree, Assault on Motorist

WHITMAN — Chief Scott D. Benton reports that two men were arrested early this morning and face multiple charges after allegedly vandalizing several vehicles and leaving the scene of a crash.

KYLE GAVEN, AGE 23, OF ABINGTON was arrested and charged with:

• Operating Under the Influence of Drugs (Cannabis)
• Failure to Stop for a Police Officer
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Property Damage
• Assault and Batter With a Dangerous Weapon (BB Gun)
• Malicious Destruction of Property Under $1,200 (Nine Counts)

JOSEPH SHIELDS, AGE 31, OF EASTON was arrested and charged with:

• Assault and Battery With a Dangerous Weapon (BB Gun)
• Malicious Destruction of Property Under $1,200 (Nine Counts)

On Saturday, July 14, at 12:56 a.m., Whitman Police were dispatched to the fire station on Temple Street for a report that a man had been shot with a bb gun while driving.

Upon arrival, officers initiated an on-scene investigation and learned that the victim had been driving on South Avenue at the intersection of Washington and Temple Streets  when a dark sedan with two men inside pulled next to him. The passenger in the vehicle, later identified as SHIELDS, then reached out of the sedan and shot a bb gun toward the victim.

At that time, the victim ducked down and began driving away, when a second shot shattered his rear window. The victim stopped at the fire station to report the incident and was treated on-scene by firefighters. He described the suspects as two white males, and indicated that the vehicle turned onto Washington Street as he fled.

Whitman Police dispatch subsequently received reports from residents on Washington Street and Old Colony Way. One of the callers reported hearing a window smash and saw a black car leaving the scene. A second caller reported that a black sedan pulled into their driveway, struck their vehicle and then fled.

A responding officer then located a black sedan with two men matching the suspects’ descriptions in the area of Washington and Commercial Streets and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver, later identified as GAVEN, then sped away and later stopped on Stetson Terrace, where both men were taken into custody without further incident.

Officers then searched the vehicle and located a bb gun, ammunition and CO2 cartridges, and determined based on their training and experience that GAVEN appeared to be under the influence of marijuana.

After GAVEN and SHIELDS were taken into custody, officers located several vehicles with shattered windows on Old Colony Way, Freedom Lane, Washington Street and Jacobs Lane.

“These individuals caused significant damage to many residents’ property, while also assaulting a motorist, at the risk of causing a serious crash,” Chief Benton said. “It’s fortunate that nobody was seriously hurt as a result of their conduct, and it was alert and excellent police work that brought this to a safe and successful conclusion.”

GAVEN was released on $500 bail, while SHIELDS was held on $500 bail and transported to the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. Both are expected to be arraigned Monday in Brockton District Court.

These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty. 

###