Pittsfield Man Charged With Assaulting Two with Handgun

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After a standoff, a city man was arrested and charged for allegedly threatening and striking two people with a handgun over the weekend.

Solomon Jones III, 32, of Pittsfield has been charged with assault and battery, threat to commit a crime, and carrying a firearm and ammunition without a license.

Police were dispatched to a multi-family unit at 10 Francis Ave.  at about 7:40 p.m. on Sunday for a report of a person with a firearm. Upon arrival, officers said they encountered two people with facial injuries.

"Those parties reported that an altercation had occurred in the parking lot involving a party who then fled the scene and ran into one of the nearby apartments. That party was later identified as Solomon Jones III, age 32 of Pittsfield," according to a press release by Capt. Matthew Hill

"Mr. Jones had allegedly pulled out a handgun on the victims and began making threats. He subsequently struck both victims in the head with the firearm and kicked one of them while they were on the ground."

Jones was reportedly located inside the apartment and was ordered to come out, which he refused.



"After an initial standoff, entry was made and Jones was placed under arrest," Hill wrote. "A firearm was recovered from inside the apartment and seized by officers as evidence. The victims were transported to Berkshire Medical Center where they received treatment for their injuries."

Jones is being charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, threat to commit crime,
carrying a firearm without a license and possession of a firearm without a firearm identification card, and improper storage of a firearm.


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Dalton Board & Police Facility Panel Emphasizes Need for Community Engagement

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Several aspects surrounding the proposed police facility are unclear, but one thing is for certain: the need for community engagement and education. 
 
The Select Board and the Public Safety Advisory Committee attended the presentation. Although they did not fully agree on public engagement methodologies, they acknowledged the importance of public engagement and education in gaining community support and ensuring the project's smooth progression.
 
There will be another joint meeting in the next two weeks to a month, so the board can discuss next steps and ways to engage voters. 
 
Select Board member Dan Esko emphasized that when other towns have undertaken similar projects, they did a lot of community surveying and polling engagement. 
 
"I feel like that's what's missing here in Dalton right now, if we're going to focus on one thing as a priority, put that to the top is my advice, my thinking," he said. 
 
"There's other things too, certainly it's not exclusive to working on other items."
 
Don Davis, co-chair of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, demonstrated that the committee has recognized community engagement as a necessary strategy since the beginning of this process.
 
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