Suspect in possession of a sawed-off shotgun, a rifle and a .45 pistol

LOWELL – A downtown foot chase between police and a suspect for whom an arrest warrant had been issued ended Tuesday with the arrest of the suspect – a 20-year-old Lowell man – and the seizure of a stash of firearms and ammunition.

Henry Garcia, who is wanted by police on a warrant for armed robbery and theft, is said to have left behind a sawed-off shotgun, an AR rifle and a .45 pistol during the chase, according to Lowell police reports.

The incident began Tuesday afternoon when police went to an apartment at 338 Market Street to track down Garcia. While police stood at the door, a detective observed Garcia lower himself from a second-story balcony onto a sidewalk along Worthen Street. Garcia reportedly dropped a “black bag containing yellow sunflowers.” According to police, Garcia “attempted to pick up the bag but was unable to do so” and then fled on foot.

During the ensuing police chase, during which Garcia fled down Market Street toward Dutton Street, “Garcia’s firearm fell from his waistband,” police said.

Garcia was eventually overpowered and surrendered.

In the black bag, the police found a 12-gauge shotgun and five shotgun cartridges. The barrel of the shotgun was about 35 cm long, which means that it was a sawed-off shotgun, according to the police report.

Also in the bag was a high-powered 5.56mm AR-style rifle, which police said appeared to be a “ghost gun” because it had no serial number and was therefore untraceable. Also in the bag was a high-powered feeder that contained 12 rounds of ammunition. Police said the feeder had a capacity of “at least 30 rounds.”

The .45 caliber pistol that Garcia allegedly dropped on the sidewalk during the chase had seven rounds in the magazine.

Garcia was arraigned Wednesday in Lowell District Court on three counts of unlawful carrying of a firearm, unlawful carrying of a loaded firearm, two counts of possession of ammunition without a firearms permit, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, possession of a large capacity firearm and possession of a large capacity feeding device.

Judge William Travaun Bailey ordered Garcia held without bail pending a Section 58A dangerousness hearing scheduled for Monday. The hearing will determine whether Garcia poses a danger to the public and, if so, whether he should remain behind bars pending trial.

Garcia’s attorney, Jeannine Mercure, declined to comment on the case.

According to police, the arrest warrants for Garcia include one that was issued after he allegedly stole about $2,400 worth of merchandise from Target in Lowell, where he was employed at the time.

In November, Target employees contacted police about an internal investigation involving Garcia. Police said surveillance footage from the store showed Garcia removing merchandise protection and hiding and stealing items such as Apple Airpods, an iPad Mini and perfumes.

In another incident, police say Garcia was seen on surveillance cameras retrieving two sets of Apple Airpods and two iPad Minis from the storage room. He then “hid them in his shopping cart and brought them into the dressing room.” Police said when Garcia left the dressing room, the four items were no longer on the cart. About a minute later, two men enter the dressing room and leave a minute later. A minute later, one of the two men re-enters the dressing room and leaves 15 seconds later.

During this time, according to police, Garcia was observed “attentively looking at the dressing rooms in the women’s clothing department while the two men were inside.”

Garcia was charged with theft of more than $1,200 and subsequently fired from Target. He had worked there for just over a month at the time of his firing, police said.

Another warrant for Garcia’s arrest included charges of armed and masked robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, theft over $1,200, criminal damage to property and kidnapping. Details of that case were not immediately available.

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