Police arrest 19-year-old on gun and drug charges in Fall River after foot pursuit

Fall River Police have arrested a 19-year-old on several drug and gun charges after a pursuit by officers.

According to Detective Sergeant Moses Pereira, on Thursday, members of the Vice, Intelligence, and Gang Unit were patrolling in the Corky Row neighborhood. As they were doing so, their attention was drawn to a group of individuals who appeared aware of their presence and were keeping an eye on them.

Shortly thereafter, these individuals left in a black sedan. As the vehicle made its way through the Corky Row neighborhood, detectives began to follow. At the intersection of South Main Street and South Street a male, known to officers as 19-year-old Jovani Christopher, exited the vehicle and began sprinting North on South Main Street.

As he fled, officers activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to catch up to him. As officers narrowed the distance Christopher was gripping his waistband as he ran. While running, Christopher ducked behind a parked vehicle out of view of the officers. Officers then exited their vehicle, and identified themselves which caused him to run South on South Main Street away from the officers. Christopher would later be apprehended while hiding behind a vehicle on the 500 block of South Main St.

Following his apprehension, a search of the path he traveled was conducted. During this search, officers located a small baggie containing a white powdery substance suspected to be fentanyl in the area where he was apprehended. In addition, a loaded black polymer 80 firearm was located underneath the parked vehicle he had been crouching behind initially.

Christopher is charged with carrying firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a large capacity firearm, possession of a large capacity feeding device, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and possession of a class A drug.