Brockton hibachi restaurant execution shooting: Jamal Bazile & Nathan Veiga arrested in shooting murder of rival gang member, Joe Araujo at eatery.
Two Massachusetts men have been arrested over the execution style shooting death of a customer at a Brockton hibachi restaurant Friday night.
Jamal Bazile, 18, was charged with one count of murder, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, and discharge of a firearm. Nathan Veiga, 22, was charged with murder and accessory before the fact. Both men pleaded not guilty during their arraignments on Tuesday, WCVB reported.
The pair were charged in connection with the shooting death of Joe Araujo, 22, who was gunned down ‘execution style’ at Hibachu Sushi Supreme Buffet in a Brockton shopping center, according to prosecutors. The shooting was captured on surveillance video, which showed the masked gunmen walk up to the table where Araujo was eating and shooting the unsuspecting man at point blank range.
Rival gang members
Araujo was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center with gunshots to his abdomen and leg and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Brockton police said no one else was hurt in the shooting, which sent other patrons — including families with children — scrambling.
In court on Tuesday, prosecutors said Araujo was dining with his girlfriend shortly before 7:30 p.m., WCVB said. Veiga, who is in a rival gang group, called the ‘East Side Boys’ entered the restaurant and saw him there. He went back outside to the car he arrived in and spoke with other people in the vehicle. Then Bazile went back into the restaurant, walked up to Araujo’s table, and fired three shots, two of which hit him.
Gunman was arrested the month before on a gun charge
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office said Brockton police used the surveillance footage from the restaurant and interviews with witnesses to identify Bazile and Veiga as suspects. They executed a search warrant at Veiga’s home, where they found the distinct jacket Bazile was wearing when he shot Araujo, and arrested Veiga.
They found Bazile at a home in Hyannis on Monday and said he became combative and assaulted two police officers before he was taken into custody. He was in possession of a 9mm Smith and Wesson firearm, loaded with four rounds of ammunition.
Of note, the man who pulled the trigger last Friday night was in court the month before on a gun charge. At the time, prosecutors had asked for a $10K cash bail but the judge set it at $5K and Bazile made bail.
Judge Michael Vitali ordered Bazile and Veiga held without bond and set a probable cause hearing for February 13.
