Visiting Harvard Law Prof Arrested After Allegedly Firing Pellet Gun Outside Synagogue
“has been placed on administrative leave as the school seeks to learn more about this matter”
The professor claimed he was hunting rats. Does anyone believe this?
The New York Post reports:
Harvard Law professor placed on leave after firing pellet gun near Boston area synagogue
A visiting professor at Harvard Law School has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly firing a pellet rifle outside a Brookline synagogue on the eve of Yom Kippur.
Carlos Portugal Gouvea, 43, was arrested Wednesday night after police said he fired two shots near Temple Beth Zion on Beacon Street in what he later claimed was “hunting rats,” Brookline.News reported.
Investigators do not believe that Gouvea was targeting the synagogue, but he was charged in Brookline District Court with illegally discharging a pellet gun, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and malicious damage of personal property, according to court records.
Harvard Law School spokesperson Jeff Neal told The Post that Gouvea “has been placed on administrative leave as the school seeks to learn more about this matter.”
The Harvard Crimson first reported his suspension.
The school has not announced any further disciplinary action. The Post has sought comment from Harvard Law School, Temple Beth Zion and Gouvea.
Police said the incident triggered a large response involving more than a dozen officers as congregants gathered for services marking the start of the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Two private security guards working at the synagogue reportedly confronted him after hearing “two loud shots” and spotting him holding a pellet rifle.
When the guards approached, Gouvea allegedly set down the gun before a “brief physical struggle” broke out as they tried to detain him, the outlet reported, citing a police account.
Police said Gouvea then ran into his nearby residence before emerging moments later, where he was handcuffed and arrested. Officers later discovered a shattered car window and a pellet lodged inside the vehicle, according to the police report cited by Brookline.News.
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Comments
I don’t know what to make of this. Did the car belong to him, a random person parked in his space or one of the people attending services? I’ve fired pellet guns and they don’t make a “loud shots”. Very odd. If I would guess I’d say he was angry at someone, shot out their window and when caught came up with the rat excuse
The ones that use CO2 are a tad louder.
A little but far quieter than my 22lr rifle or pistol
At first glance the visiting prof is a wacko.
I did read elsewhere that this professor is from Brazil and specializes in grievance DEI stuff and pushes anti gun legit down there.
Legislation
I read that too. Sounds like he needs an ICE-assisted trip back home, where only the criminals have guns thanks to his law.
Can’t fire fire pellet gun outside your own backyard in boston, or some such ordinance? He is professor of law at harvard so ignorance of the law not going to play well?
Pellet guns are evil, Evil, EVIL in Boston!
He’s lucky they didn’t catch him with a peashooter (or as Massachusetts legal solons prefer to term them, “bean blowers”).
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter269/Section12
That rabbit hole runs deep. Six years in prison for unauthorized sale of sling shot to bart simpson?
Not sure how my followup post disappeared — I saw it appear yesterday. It corrected the posted URL above by adding a “B” at the end. That’s the pellet-gun law, not the “bean blower” law I posted.