BOSTON — The co-owner of a restaurant in Boston’s North End was ordered held without bail Friday afternoon after he was arrested on charges in connection with a shooting outside of a popular pastry shop last week.
Monica’s Trattoria’s co-owner Patrick Mendoza was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges including assault by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery.
Officers assigned to the Boston Police Fugitive Unit nabbed Mendoza Friday morning after a warrant was issued for his arrest for allegedly opening fire outside Modern Pasty on Hanover Street while riding a bicycle on July 12.
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Suffolk County Assistant District Daniel Nucci told the court that Mendoza was aiming at a man who lived above the shop, a neighbor he had allegedly feuded with for years.
“He spotted this individual who he had prior cases with, prior run-ins with, he was actually on probation that day when the shooting happened,” Nucci said. “He fired multiple shots at this individual, stating, ‘It’s going to be quick. I’m going to kill you.’ Luckily none of the shots struck the individual but they did strike the window of Modern Pastry.”
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After the shooting, Mendoza fled down Hanover Street while the victim flagged police to inform them of the incident, according to Nucci.
Nucci noted that Mendoza was on six-month probation for an assault in 2019 involving the same victim and that it was slated to expire on the same day of the shooting.
Modern Pastry closes at 10 p.m. and it didn’t appear anyone was inside the shop at the time of the shooting. Police were seen canvassing the area and gathering ballistic evidence in the hours after the shots were fired.
In the summertime, there are typically long lines outside the shop of people waiting to get cannolis and other pastries.
Mendoza’s attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, didn’t argue the Commonwealth’s request to revoke bail due to her client’s breach of probation and agreed to return to court for a detention hearing on Wednesday, July 26.
Mendoza is being held Friday without bail but a detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
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