Two charged for Back Bay gun battle

Boston Police report arresting two of four men they say exchanged gunfire yesterday afternoon that left Fairfield Street between Newbury and Boylston streets littered with spent shells.

Police report officers arrested Rashawn Bly, 24, and Walter Coleman, 23, after a chase down the alley between Newbury Street and Commonwealth Avenue that included an officer climbing onto a rooftop to spot one of them hiding in a backyard near the Public Garden. Despite blasting away on a well traveled street, nobody was hit.

A canvass of the immediate area yielded a black firearm, which was located in a closed blue city recycle bin in the rear of 173 Newbury Street. It should be noted that the rear of 173 Newbury Street is also Public Alley 434. The firearm, a Baretta 9mm was found to be in the “lock back” position, with the slide fully extended backward.

Officers spoke with a witness who reported an exchange of gunfire between Rashawn Bly and Walter Coleman and two other unidentified individuals. Officers located ballistic damaged to multiple vehicles in the area of the original shots fired call.

Both men were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, unlawful possession of ammunition, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and malicious destruction of property. Both were also charged as being Level 1 armed career criminals, which could mean longer sentences if convicted on the other charges. Coleman was also charged with possession of Class B drugs and trespassing, police say.

Coleman was arrested in June, 2019 on gun charges after a traffic stop in Jackson Square.

Innocent, etc.