Man sentenced to prison in Fall River Superior Court after police officer shot in the face

A local man accused of shooting a New Bedford Police Detective in the face in 2023 has been sentenced in Fall River Superior Court.

According to court records, Denzel Gomes, who was 18 at the time of his arrest, was sentenced to not less than 5 years to not more than 8 years in prison after pleading guilty to Armed Assault to Murder (2 counts), Attempted Assault and Battery with a Firearm, Assault and Battery with a Firearm (2 counts), Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon-Causing Serious Bodily Injury, and Carrying a Firearm Without a License. The sentence is retroactive to February 15, 2024.

According to Massachusetts State Police on July 17, 2023, immediately following the shooting of undercover NBPD Detective Lavar Gilbert, the New Bedford Police Major Crimes Unit and the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section began working to locate and apprehend those responsible for the crime. 

At the time of the shooting, the Detective was conducting surveillance in the North End of New Bedford when shots were fired from a passing vehicle. The Detective was struck in the face but survived. Another person who was in the area suffered a gunshot wound to his foot. 

 In the weeks that followed, NBPD, MSP VFAS, the State Police Detective Unit for Bristol County, and the United States Marshals Service pursued the three occupants of the vehicle. Two of the three were subsequently arrested and a third, Gomes, the suspected triggerman, was identified. 

Evidence was presented to a grand jury, which returned a seven-count indictment against Gomes.

NBPD, MSP VFAS, MSP SPDU, and USMS began an investigation into Gomes’ whereabouts. Investigators quickly determined that prior to the indictment, Gomes fled the United States. In conjunction with federal law enforcement partners, investigators closely monitored Gomes’ travel outside of the US. 

MSP VFAS was notified by USMS that Gomes had boarded an international flight from Portugal scheduled to arrive at Logan. 

MSP VFAS Troopers, members of the NBPD Major Crimes Unit, USMS Deputy Marshals, US Customs and Border Protection Agents, and Troopers from MSP Troop F were waiting at Terminal E for the flight’s arrival, and immediately took Gomes into custody as he stepped back onto US soil.