
Man accused in deadly shooting outside Hindu temple to face judge
A New Hampshire man was ordered held without bail Wednesday at his arraignment on charges stemming from a weekend shooting outside a Hindu temple in Lowell, Massachusetts, that left one person dead.Paul Garcia, 38, of Dover, was charged with murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, assault, and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm.Lowell police were called to the parking lot of the Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Temple on Middlesex Street just before 5 a.m. Saturday where they found about 30 people, including two injured men. Both victims were taken to hospitals by emergency medical personnel. Jose Ortiz, 43, of Lowell, was later pronounced dead. The other victim, a 34-year-old man, was treated and released.A third victim, a 26-year-old woman, took herself to the hospital where she was treated for minor injuries and released. “The subsequent investigation revealed that shortly before the shooting two groups of people had gathered in the Temple parking lot and were reportedly drinking, partying and lighting off fireworks,” the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said. “A physical altercation occurred involving the victims and others who were in the parking lot. Moments after the altercation Paul Garcia allegedly began shooting into the crowd of people killing Jose Ortiz and striking the two other victims before fleeing the scene.” A worker at a nearby business said their security cameras captured what looked like fireworks and several cars rushing into the parking lot, and then rushing back out of the parking lot once police began arriving around 5 a.m.Investigators could be seen focusing their attention on a black sedan in the parking lot with what appear to be several bullet holes in the side.Investigators said there was no information to suggest the gathering was at all related to the temple.
A New Hampshire man was ordered held without bail Wednesday at his arraignment on charges stemming from a weekend shooting outside a Hindu temple in Lowell, Massachusetts, that left one person dead.
Paul Garcia, 38, of Dover, was charged with murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, assault, and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
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Lowell police were called to the parking lot of the Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Temple on Middlesex Street just before 5 a.m. Saturday where they found about 30 people, including two injured men.
Both victims were taken to hospitals by emergency medical personnel. Jose Ortiz, 43, of Lowell, was later pronounced dead. The other victim, a 34-year-old man, was treated and released.
A third victim, a 26-year-old woman, took herself to the hospital where she was treated for minor injuries and released.
“The subsequent investigation revealed that shortly before the shooting two groups of people had gathered in the Temple parking lot and were reportedly drinking, partying and lighting off fireworks,” the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said. “A physical altercation occurred involving the victims and others who were in the parking lot. Moments after the altercation Paul Garcia allegedly began shooting into the crowd of people killing Jose Ortiz and striking the two other victims before fleeing the scene.”
A worker at a nearby business said their security cameras captured what looked like fireworks and several cars rushing into the parking lot, and then rushing back out of the parking lot once police began arriving around 5 a.m.
Investigators could be seen focusing their attention on a black sedan in the parking lot with what appear to be several bullet holes in the side.
Investigators said there was no information to suggest the gathering was at all related to the temple.