‘Terribly frightening’: NH man charged after pointing airsoft gun at 5-year-old, others, police say

BOSTON — A New Hampshire man was arraigned Tuesday after allegedly pointing a fake rifle at several people in Mattapan, including a small child.

50-year-old Salvador Maldonado of Manchester is charged with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

According to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, Boston police received a report of a person with a gun on Morton Village Drive just before 7 p.m. on Monday.

A woman reportedly told police she was stopped at a red light on Corbet Street when she saw Maldonado in a dark-colored SUV next to her with what looked to be a brown shotgun. Maldonado then allegedly pointed the gun at the victim and her 5-year-old daughter.

The victim immediately fled the scene and reported to police the vehicle had an out-of-state license plate.

As officers were gathering information, another call for a person with a gun was received on Burt Street.

The victim in that incident told police that a man, later identified as Maldonado, was walking up and down the street with a rifle, according to authorities. The caller allegedly reported hearing three popping sounds and people yelling in the area before Maldonado allegedly pointed the rifle at her.

According to investigators, Maldonado took off in a blue Honda Pilot with New Hampshire tags that was located a short time later.

Officers say they found a brown Sig Sauer MCX 177 airsoft rifle on the vehicle’s front passenger seat. He was promptly arrested.

“To be going about your daily routines and then see someone point a gun at you is a terribly frightening experience,” Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden said. “I’m very proud of these victims for immediately contacting police and providing them solid identifying information.”

Maldonado was arraigned in Dorchester Boston Municipal Court where Judge Vanessa Velez set bail at $1,500 and revoked his bail on a pending case out of Lowell. Details of that case were not immediately available. Judge Velez also ordered Maldonado to be evaluated by a court clinician, who determined that hospitalization was unnecessary.

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