Judge releases defendant accused of firing gun indiscriminately down congested Fall River street

A 21-year-old Fall River man accused of firing an illegal gun indiscriminately down a busy city street while a gun-related double homicide was occurring in nearby Griffin Park this past May was released by a Superior Court judge last month despite the fact that two other judges had previously ruled he was a danger to the community.

Dana Mazyck was arrested in May in connection to the investigation into the Fall River double homicide that claimed the lives of Jovaughn Antonio Mills, 29, of Fall River and Miguel Sanjurjo, 14, of Fall River.

This defendant is accused of firing several rounds from an illegal firearm down Fifth Street in Fall River in broad daylight moments after another defendant, Jeremy Holmes, allegedly fired multiple rounds into a crowd in nearby Griffin Park. Defendant Holmes is accused of striking three individuals with bullets, two of whom died.

Moments after the triple-shooting occurred, defendant Mazyck, who was standing on Fifth Street just outside of Griffin Park, fired six rounds northbound up Fifth Street. The rounds fired in this direction struck a building. This defendant then immediately fled the scene on foot.

Defendant Mazyck was arraigned in Fall River District Court on May 25th on charges of carrying an illegal firearm, carrying a loaded illegal firearm and unlawful discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a building. A Dangerousness Hearing was held on June 2nd at which time Fall River District Court Judge Katie Rayburn found the defendant “dangerous” and ordered him held without bail for up to 120 days as the case proceeds towards trial.

The defendant appealed that decisions to the Superior Court, which heard arguments on the appeal on July 1. After taking the matter under advisement, Superior Court Judge Renee Dupuis agreed the defendant was a danger to the community and denied his appeal on July 6.

In the meantime, due to the seriousness of the allegations against the defendant, he was indicted by a Bristol County Grand Jury on charges of Carrying an Illegal Firearm, Carrying a Loaded Illegal Firearm and Vandalizing Property in early July.

The defendant was arraigned in Fall River Superior Court for the new indictments on August 2nd, at which time another dangerousness hearing was held before Judge Karen Green. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Green, despite the previous rulings by a district and a superior court judge, found the defendant to not be a danger to the community and released him on $2,500 cash bail with GPS monitoring.

“It’s very disappointing that this defendant is being released after being held by two previous judges. The defendant is accused of firing an illegally obtained firearm indiscriminately down a congested street in broad daylight, while a second defendant was opening fire on people on the sidewalk, killing two. This defendant does not belong out on the street based on his actions,” District Attorney Quinn said.