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Update on Hadley Walmart shooting

Alleged shooter faces Hampshire Superior Court felony charges
Posted on: November 18, 2021 - 10:14am
Suspect in Hadley shooting charged in Hampshire Superior Court

NORTHAMPTON – A Chicopee man today pleaded not guilty to seven charges in connection with an Aug. 22 shooting that left two teenagers with serious injuries at the Hadley Walmart, but later led to their arraignment on criminal charges.
Wilmer Alvarez-Vargas, 26, of Chicopee, appeared in Hampshire Superior Court following his Nov. 4 indictment by a Hampshire grand jury on the following charges: two counts of armed assault with intent to murder; two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury; unlawful possession of a firearm; unlawful possession of a loaded firearm; unlawful possession of ammunition.
Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Suhl represented the Commonwealth at the arraignment and defense attorney Nikolas Andreopoulos represented Alvarez-Vargas. At the request of the Commonwealth, Hampshire Superior Court Judge Richard Carey continued the case until Nov. 23 for a dangerousness hearing at which the court will determine whether the defendant will be held pending trial. Alvarez-Vargas has been in custody since the Aug. 22 incident after being ordered held as dangerous following his arrest and arraignment in the Eastern Hampshire District Court.
District Court charges against a co-defendant in the case, Keyla Fernandez, have been dismissed.
The two victims in the case, Juan Hernandez, 18, of Schenectady, NY, and Jeruan Matos Colon, 19, of Springfield, have been indicted by a Hampshire grand jury for charges stemming from the same incident.
Hernandez was indicted on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. He was arraigned in the Hampshire Superior Court on Nov. 9 where his bail was set by the court at $2,500.
Matos Colon was indicted on charges of possession of a Class A substance (heroin) with intent to distribute and possession of a Class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute. He is scheduled to be arraigned in the Hampshire Superior Court on Nov. 23.