An expectant mother wounded by gunfire while riding a bus in Holyoke, Massachusetts, leading to the death of her unborn child, remained in critical condition on Thursday, while one of three suspects was still on the loose, officials said.
The woman, who hasn't been publicly identified, was one of the people caught in the crossfire of the shooting that started when three men began fighting near the intersection of Sargeant and Maple streets at about 12:30 p.m., officials said.
Video obtained by NBC10 Boston shows the moment the fight broke out, as one of the suspects left the Almonte Bodega. Jose Almonte, who owns the store, said his truck was hit by the barrage of bullets
Amid the still-active investigation, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia said the city was working with partners, including the state, to come up with a plan to deal with the gun violence that's been erupting of late.
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"I share the community's anger, I share the community's horror at what happened yesterday," Garcia said, calling on the city to unite and to report criminal activity in their neighborhoods. "Join us in this monumental task of healing and renewal."
On Thursday, the Hampden District Attorney's Office identified two of the suspects as Johnluis Sanchez, 30, of Holyoke and Alejandro Ramos, 22, of Holyoke. They are each facing a murder charge.
A not guilty plea was entered for Ramos in Holyoke District Court Thursday morning. He was held without bail.
Sanchez was still in the hospital, awaiting surgery.
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While authorities with the Hampden District Attorney's Office on Wednesday said they believed all suspects were identified, taken to the hospital and in custody, on Thursday, a spokesperson with the DA's office told NBC10 Boston that a suspect remained on the loose.
The 29-year-old pregnant mother was just sitting in a seat on the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus when she was struck by the bullet, authorities said. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where doctors delivered her baby and tried to say the newborn’s life.
The infant passed away.
"The dreams of a young couple died along with their baby," Garcia said, noting he spent hours in the hospital with the woman's boyfriend Wednesday night.
"I couldn't think of anything else to do except to be there in care, to try to convey the love and support of a city stunned by the unspeakable," he said.
Ramos and Sanchez also sustained gunshot wounds.
People who live nearby say enough is enough and that this senseless violence needs to be addressed.
"Maybe they should do something about taking guns away because it's honestly terrifying to walk around the streets knowing that you're not safe," Emiliano Padua said.
Kenya Simmons said she wants to move away.
"I moved from New York to get away from gunfire and dumb stuff like this," she said. "And now it's right here on the corner of my block. So, no, I'm moving again. I wanted to have a safe place for my kids, and it's right at my doorstep."
Garcia noted the "terrible irony" in the gunfire taking place 90 minutes after he and Police Chief David Pratt holding a news conference on gun violence in Holyoke, in which they pointed out that a small percentage of instances of gunfire detected by the automated ShotSpotter system are being called in to 911 by residents.
Pratt emphasized that the department was working to bring about the changes being called for by the community.
"We're going to have a plan, we're going to be doing things immediately for more police presence and then the longer strategic plan to knock down this type of acts of senseless violence," he said.
