A 47-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after he allegedly shot another individual during an altercation at a pro-Israel demonstration in Newton, officials said Thursday night.
The man sustained life-threatening injuries, authorities said at a brief news conference Thursday night. He is being treated at a local hospital, an official said.
The incident happened around 6:40 p.m. when Newton Police responded to calls at Washington and Harvard Street, where a small group of individuals were engaged in a pro-Israeli demonstration on one side of the street, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said.
An individual was “completely randomly” walking down the opposite side of the street, and words were exchanged between the two parties, she explained.
That individual, who Ryan said was not part of the demonstration group, began crossing the street, went back to his side of the street, and then went back across the street again and “ultimately jumped upon one of the demonstrators,” Ryan said, leading to a “scuffle.”
“During that scuffle, the individual who had come across the street was shot by a member of the demonstrating group,” she said.
The 47-year-old alleged shooter was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violation of a constitutional right causing injury, Ryan told the media.
His arraignment will occur Friday in the Newton District Court, she said.
Ryan said it is still early in the investigation, which remains ongoing.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
