This morning around 12:25AM, officers from District B-3 (Mattapan) were on patrol in the area of Talbot Ave. and Washington St. when they observed a car fail to stop for the red light at the intersection.
Officers followed the car and conducted traffic stop nearby where they questioned suspect about why he ran the red light and he responded, “My brakes failed.” When asked for his license, the suspect told officers, “I don’t have license, I have a permit.” After telling officers that he had a permit, officers asked his passenger if he had a permit and he told officers that he did not. Officers then asked both occupants of the car to get out and stand by while a tow truck was called. Officers conducted search of the car and during the search accidentally moved the rear seat which was loose and discovered in plain view a handgun underneath the middle part of the rear seat.
As a result of this discovery, suspects, Desmond Harris, 21 of Brockton and Leon Spear, IV, 21 of Dorchester were arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition. Suspect Harris was additionally charged with operating a Motor Vehicle without a License and cited for Failure to Stop for a Red Light.