Daniel J. Cintron, 28, was arraigned on 18 criminal counts in Springfield District Court Friday and held without the right to bail Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- A suspended city police officer was arrested and charged with multiple counts of child rape after the alleged victims' mother went to police to report recent disclosures from her children, according to court documents.

Daniel J. Cintron, 28, was arraigned on 18 criminal counts in Springfield District Court Friday and held without right to bail. A dangerousness hearing was scheduled for May 23 to vet whether Cintron should be released pending trial.

The charges against him include rape of a child with force, indecent assault and battery on a child and witness intimidation. Looking pained as he was led into court in handcuffs, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The alleged victims are under 10 years old, according to court records. The accusations stem from events dating to 2015, the records say.

"(One victim) who is 9 years old disclosed that when she was 6 Daniel Cintron began to touch her in an inappropriate manner," a police report dated May 17 reads.

It is the second criminal case to be leveled against the three-year veteran of the police force in under a year. He was indicted in Hampden Superior Court in 2017 for unarmed robbery and assault and battery and had been released without bail.

Cintron has been suspended without pay since that indictment.

That case focused on an alleged clash outside the Eastfield Mall between Cintron and a friend and three teens. Cintron's friend, Matthew Mattoon, who was also charged, allegedly punched a 15-year-old after the teen sent Mattoon's sister an unseemly text. He also took the teen's cell phone, court records state.

Cintron then told the boy: "You're lucky I didn't let Matt kill you. He's an ex-con, and I would have done nothing about it," according to police reports.

Cintron was off duty but dressed in camouflage, and armed with a knife and a gun, investigators have said.

On Friday, Cintron appeared in jeans and a T-shirt. He had been arrested at his home on Monson hours earlier and held overnight at the Hampden County House of Correction, court records show.

A woman appeared in court at the end of Cintron's arraignment to seek a anti-abuse and stay-away order on behalf of two minors. Judge John Payne granted the order for one year.

The investigation was led by the Major Crimes Unit under Capt. Trent Duda.

Springfield police spokesman Ryan Walsh said the department began investigating "serious allegations" against Cintron last week. 

Springfield police applied for an arrest warrant and Monson police took Cintron into custody, Walsh said. 

Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans had strong words Friday for opponents of gun control laws in an interview with Boston Public Radio.

Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans had strong words Friday for opponents of gun control laws, saying in a Boston Public Radio interview that this morning's shooting at Santa Fe High School in Houston, Texas was a "wakeup call" that demands action.

"You can send all the condolences you want, but don't overwhelm us with this talk, do something about it," Evans said. "Whether it was Newtown, whether it's Parkland, it's time to wake up and stop the senseless violence across this country. We're the laughingstock of every country out there because we have so much gun violence in this country."

Ten people were killed and ten wounded in the shooting, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a press conference Friday afternoon. Police say that 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a student at the school, used a shotgun and a .38 revolver legally owned by his father to carry out the attack. Pagourtzis has been taken into custody.

There have been 16 school shootings in the U.S. this year, according to the Washington Post.

In the interview, Evans strongly rejected arguments by gun advocates that firearm restrictions would not prevent shootings, arguing that stricter licensing requirements and "red flag" laws permitting the seizure of guns from people deemed dangerous are necessary steps.

"I think the whole discussion on guns will come up again, but obviously there's way too many guns in this country and it's too accessible," Evans said. "The problem is a place like Texas, where they have open carry with little requirements, it's difficult to prevent a tragedy where somebody can carry guns in that state."

Evans also criticized pro-gun legislators from other states, who he described as resistant to measures that would improve public safety.

"They just don't get it, some of these guys," Evans said. "They're so gung-ho on the Second Amendment, they don't look at the sorrow and the despair that's behind this gun violence."

The CapeFLYER, the commuter rail train offering weekend round-trips to Cape Cod throughout the summer, is back with a special Sunday deal.

The CapeFLYER, the commuter rail train offering weekend round-trips to Cape Cod throughout the summer, is back with a special Sunday deal.

The CapeFLYER returns to service starting Friday, May 25 at 5:50 p.m. On Sunday, May 27, active duty service members and veterans can ride free.

The trips start at South Station in Boston, stopping in Braintree, Brockton, Middleboro, Wareham and Buzzards Bay. 

The trips end in Hyannis, where passengers can make a connection with buses and ferries.

A round-trip ticket is $40. Children 11 years old and younger who ride with an adult can jump aboard for free.

On Sundays, same-day travel costs $15, a new special ticket.

Tickets and schedules are available at the CapeFLYER's website.

The train will also be in service Memorial Day, July 3, July 4 and Labor Day.

"This scenic train ride to Cape Cod is an excellent option to save time, money and avoid the hassle of infamous Cape traffic," said David Scorey, general manager and CEO of Keolis, the firm managing the commuter rail system for the MBTA.

In a hand-written note to the judge, Bovio, who had an extensive history of violence in Massachusetts, asked to be let off probation early. He cited the fact that he'd been consistent with his probation and that he was "very happy" with his new wife and stepson.

Donald P. Bovio likely never would have been in New York on May 12 of this year if he'd served out his sentence in an Essex County jail. He never would have ben able to commit the heinous act, authorities accuse him of. And 3-year-old Panagiotis Stephanides-Vacchino might still be alive. 

Bovio, who New York authorities say savagely beat his stepson with a belt until the child hit the floor and lost consciousness, was sentenced to a 4-year suspended sentence in Essex County on a prior offense and was scheduled to serve until June 8, 2018.

He got an early release, however, getting out of jail more than a year early on May 25, 2017. Less than a year later, his probation would be cut short, too. 

In a hand-written note to the judge, Bovio, who had an extensive history of violence in Massachusetts, asked to be let off probation early. He cited the fact that he'd been consistent with his probation and that he was "very happy" with his new wife and stepson. 

MassLive has obtained a copy of the hand-written note Bovio submitted to the court that got him his early release from probation, which would have prevented him from leaving the state and required continued check-ins with a probation officer. The note is pictured below.

Bovio and his wife Alison, who police say acted in concert with him, have been charged with three counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree manslaughter, reckless assault of a child, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, among other charges.

"It is the worst case of child abuse I have seen in my career. By far," Seneca Falls Police Chief Stuart Peenstra told MassLive earlier this week.

Police said Donald Bovio called 911 Saturday to report his stepson had fallen down the stairs at the Seneca Falls apartment complex where the couple had recently moved to after leaving Massachusetts. When police arrived, the boy was unresponsive and lying on the kitchen floor.

Police said the child was flown to Upstate Medical Center where he underwent treatment. It was there that doctors determined the injuries were not consistent with a fall and a child abuse investigation began. According to court records, the toddler had bleeding on the brain and had no brain activity.

The child's biological father arrived at the hospital prior to "final life decisions," the Seneca Police Department said. 

On May 17, police announced the child had died.

Noah R. Bombard | nbombard@masslive.com 

Two Springfield police officers, Joshua Figueroa and Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, were indicted on aggravated rape charges in Hampden Superior Court in connection with a 2017 incident involving the same alleged victim.

SPRINGFIELD -- Two city police officers were indicted on aggravated rape charges Friday in Hampden Superior Court.

Patrolmen Joshua Figueroa and Derrick Gentry-Mitchell were charged. They have not been arrested, and no arraignment dates have been set. 

A grand jury returned the indictments this afternoon, according to court records. While few details were available, the charges stem from an alleged incident on March 16, 2017 in Springfield. The officers have been charged in connection with a single alleged victim not identified in court records.

Figueroa, 27, and Gentry-Mitchell, 28, both of Springfield, could not immediately be reached for comment. 

"We are aware of the indictments and will reserve comment until the officers are officially notified," said Springfield police spokesman Ryan Walsh.  

Figueroa and Gentry-Mitchell were among a group of officers disciplined in 2017 over a fight at the Mardi Gras strip club with a group of alleged gang members Figueroa had encountered as a onetime member of the Street Crimes Unit.

The officers made no arrests after the fight broke up and remained at the bar, internal investigation records stated. The alleged gang members started the fight, officers told their supervisors.

Figueroa and Gentry-Mitchell's employment status was not immediately clear. However, when officers are indicted for a crime the department's policy is to immediately suspend them without pay.

Figueroa and Gentry-Mitchell had been placed on inside duty while the  investigation has been ongoing, police have said.

The indictments come one day after another Springfield police officer, Daniel Cintron, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of child rape. He was arraigned in Springfield District Court on Friday and held without the right to bail pending a hearing on May 23.

Cintron had already been suspended in connection with a 2017 assault case, which is pending.

Nickolas Lacrosse, 23, of Springfield, is on trial for murder for the fatal stabbing of ex-girlfriend Kathryn Mauke, 17, on Feb. 11, 2015. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Nickolas Lacrosse testified Friday at his murder trial that he was not angry that his ex-girlfriend, Kathryn Mauke, was seeing someone else.

Lacrosse, 23, of Springfield, told a Hampden Superior Court jury he didn't go to Mauke's house on Feb. 11, 2015, to kill the 17-year-old. He said repeatedly he went for "clarification" of why she broke up with him.

He said he remembers a discussion turning into a verbally angry argument. He said he felt hot and felt his blood boil, then the room went blurry -- except for Mauke, who was in very sharp focus.

The next thing he remembers is being on a street corner outside Mauke's home, Lacrosse said.

Defense lawyer Alan J. Black showed Lacrosse a picture of Mauke alive, and asked Lacrosse how it made him feel.

"It's upsetting," Lacrosse said.

Asked about the argument in Mauke's kitchen before the stabbing, Lacrosse said he was yelling at Mauke about "things that she'd previously done to me."

Both he and Mauke were yelling names at each other, he said. 

A neuropsychologist and a psychiatrist called by Black have testified Lacrosse at the time of the killing didn't have the ability to control his actions and is not criminally responsible for the killing. They testified he went into a dissociative state and killed Mauke while he was in that state.

Lacrosse, who wiped his eyes several times with a tissue while testifying, was asked by Black, "Do you remember stabbing her 32 times?"

"No I don't," Lacrosse said. He said he didn't remember stabbing her at all.

Assistant District Attorney Mary Sandstrom asked Lacrosse about going back into Mauke's house after leaving it the first time. Lacrosse has said he went back in because he had a sense something was wrong.

"And you saw her legs and made the determination that she was just dead, correct?" Sandstrom asked.

"I believed she was," Lacrosse said.

"This was the woman who was the love of your life, according to you, correct?" Sandstrom asked.

"I've never used those words, but I guess you could say so, yes," Lacrosse said.

Black rested the defense case after Lacrosse testified.

Sandstrom called a rebuttal witness, Dr. Alison Fife, who examined Lacrosse on behalf of the prosecution. Fife, who will continue testimony next week in the trial before Judge Mark D. Mason, said Lacrosse is criminally responsible for the killing.

She disputed the conclusions of the two witnesses called by Black to testify about Lacrosse's lack of criminal responsibility.

The husband of the principal of an Ashburnham elementary school has been charged with repeatedly raping an 18-year-old school employee.

The husband of the principal of an Ashburnham elementary school has been charged with repeatedly raping an 18-year-old school employee -- including once on school grounds.

The Sentinel and Enterprise reports that 64-year-old James McGrath, who is married to John Briggs Elementary School Principal Andrea McGrath, was arraigned Thursday on two counts of rape, four counts of assault and battery and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14.

McGrath, who worked as a substitute janitor for the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District, allegedly assaulted the victim at a private home in Ashburnham. There was also an alleged assault after-hours at Briggs Elementary, police told the Sentinel and Enterprise.

"The recent allegations against this substitute custodian are both disturbing and unacceptable," district superintendent Gary Mazzola told the newspaper.

"While he was never a regular employee, he was immediately removed from any further employment with the regional school district as soon as we learned of the allegations against him," he added.

Defense lawyer Judy Cox said Hernandez was shopping at a nearby supermarket at the time of the alleged violation and has a witness and sales receipt to prove it.

SPRINGFIELD -- Suspended Springfield police officer Jonathan Hernandez was released on $750 bail Friday after being charged with violating a restraining order obtained by his former girlfriend.

Hernandez, 35, pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court to one count of violating a court order requiring him to stay away from the woman he was accused of assaulting in January.

The arraignment took place four hours after another suspended Springfield police officer pleaded not guilty in the same courtroom to child rape, sexual assault and witness intimidation charges. Daniel J. Cintron, 28, was ordered held for a bail hearing on May 23. 

Hernandez allegedly drove up to the alleged victim in a Walgreens parking lot and laughed at her, Assistant District Attorney Jill O'Connor said. The encounter came several days after the woman told probation officials that Hernandez had repeatedly violated the court order issued at the time of his arraignment in January.

O'Connor requested $1,000 cash bail and asked Judge John Payne to revoke Hernadez's release in the pending assault case.

Defense lawyer Judy Cox said Hernandez was shopping at a nearby supermarket at the time of the alleged violation and has a witness and sales receipt to prove it. She accused the woman of harassing her client, and asked for his release on personal recognizance.

Payne set bail at $750 and again ordered Hernandez to stay away from the alleged victim.

Hernandez is due back in court for pretrial hearings in both cases on July 3.

Jill Kidik, a 12-year veteran of the Hartford police force, interned with the Springfield Police Department and worked out of the Police Academy while she attended WNEU.

Hartford Police Officer Jill Kidik was "alert and staying strong" Friday at Hartford Hospital after suffering stab wounds to her neck while trying to handcuff a woman after investigating a disturbance in an apartment building Thursday.

Kidik, a 12-year veteran of the Hartford force, interned with the Springfield Police Department and worked out of the Springfield Police Academy while she attended Western New England University, according to a message of support posted Friday on the Springfield Police Department Facebook page.

She opened her eyes Friday morning following surgery and is alert and staying strong, according to a Hartford Police spokesman's Twitter account. 

"This incident is just another reminder that for police officers there is no such thing as a routine call," the post reads.

Kidik is expected to make a full recovery, police in Hartford tell the Hartford Courant.

According to the Courant, this is the third serious assault against a Hartford police officer in six weeks.

Kidik was attacked at about 10 a.m. Thursday on the ninth floor of Spectra Boutique Apartments at 5 Constitution Plaza.

Thank you to the entire region for all your support. Too many peolpe to list. We are lucky to have so much support. The officer is strong.

This morning, surround by family and friends she opened her eyes. She is alert and staying strong [?] . [?]

-- Brian Foley (@LtFoley) May 18, 2018

The woman charged in the attack, Chevoughn Augustin, was ordered held on $2 million bail and charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault and with assault on a police officer officer, according to court papers.

Building mangers called police after Augustin was seen being disruptive and removing notices from the apartment lobby bulletin board without authorization. The incident erupted after police made their way to Augustin's apartment, according to court papers.

Augustin, 39, told detectives that Kidik asked her to get her identification, according to the police report. Augustin said Kidik then "had made comments that caused her not to trust her," the report said.

Augustin told police she tried to leave, but Kidik was in the way. They wrestled and Augustin grabbed a knife and stabbed Kidik twice in the neck, the suspect told police. Apartment maintenance workers intervened and pulled Augustin off Kidik.

The Sisters of Providence have broken ground on Hillside Residence, a $10 million project to build 36 units of affordable elder care housing on the 27-acre campus at 2112 Riverdale St. in West Springfield.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The Sisters of Providence have broken ground on Hillside Residence, a $10 million project to build 36 units of affordable elder care housing on the 27-acre campus at 2112 Riverdale St. in West Springfield.

The project calls for integrating housing for residents age 62 or older with the health services they will need as they grow older, according to Sister Kathleen Popko, president of the Sisters of Providence. 

"At times, the dream seemed futile," Popko told the large crowd that gathered Friday under a tent on the field where the housing will soon rise, recalling the ups and downs of trying to secure funding for the project over the years.

The goal, the Catholic nun said, is to build safe, affordable housing for "frail elders" who will also require health services as they age. That is where Mercy LIFE's PACE program -- "Program for All-inclusive Care of the Elderly" -- enters the picture.

PACE, a Medicare and Medicaid program, is expected to benefit low-income seniors at risk of being institutionalized who also need the level of care provided in nursing facilities. Because the project has secured a commitment from the state to help with rental subsidies, the housing cost for residents of Hillside Residence will be capped at 30 percent of their income, according to Popko. 

In addition to helping at-risk seniors secure housing, Joseph Larkin, executive director of Mercy LIFE, says Hillside Residence will provide older residents with the human connection they need, including the opportunity to share meals and other forms of socialization.

"Loneliness is a significant health risk factor," Larkin said.

Popko praised West Springfield Mayor William C. Reichelt for his ongoing support of the project, even before taking office in 2016. "He has facilitated our efforts," she said of Reichelt, calling him "a friend and supporter."

Sen. James T. Welch and his Statehouse counterpart, Rep. Michael J. Finn, both of whom represent West Side on Beacon Hill, were also on hand for the event, which drew about 100 people, including local and state dignitaries. Popko says Welch and Finn have been strong supporters of the Sisters of Providence. 

"This really is the next cutting-edge of health care in Massachusetts. These are the types of projects we're always continuously looking for," Welch, Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, said of Hillside Residence.

"Congratulations and thank you for your tenacity and stick-to-itiveness," he said, directing his remarks to the Sisters of Providence and Mercy LIFE officials in attendance.

"We're all here today because we're invested in Hillside Residence," said Janelle Chan, newly appointed undersecretary for Housing and Community Development, which oversees the state's affordable housing programs, community service, and assistance for homeless people.

State Elder Affairs Secretary Alice Bonner noted that Popko and Sister Mary Caritas Geary, vice president of Sisters of Providence, have been "powerful and tenacious" advocates for Hillside Residence, never giving up on the project "despite rejection after rejection."

"It's about creating campuses where people can age together with the services they need," Bonner said, adding that Hillside Residence will serve as a model for living and aging well in Massachusetts. To create a truly integrated support system for older residents, "it has to be about housing plus services," she said.

The project will cater to people 62 or older with incomes at 50 percent of the area median income or lower, and those whose healthcare needs and "housing instability" can be helped by the integrated program. 

The project is funded by both public and private sources, including state and federal money and $750,000 in Community Preservation Act funds from the Town of West Springfield and grants from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

Key financing sources include the Housing Stabilization Fund, the National Housing Trust Fund, the Housing Innovation Fund Program, and the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program. 

The announcement came Friday after new statistics showed a statewide unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.

Some job seekers apparently deserve a break today.

McDonald's and its independent franchisees on Friday announced plans to hire 3,500 restaurant employees in Massachusetts heading into their busy summer season.

McDonald's said this is good news for job seekers interested in pursuing an education while working. McDonald's is allocating $150 million over five years to its global Archways to Opportunity education program.

This $150 million will provide almost 400,000 U.S. restaurant employees with an opportunity to earn a high school diploma, receive upfront tuition assistance for college courses, access academic advising courses and learn English as a second language, McDonald's said.

Eligible crew members will have access to $2,500 a year in tuition assistance, up from $700 a year, and eligible managers will have access to $3,000 a year, up from $1,050.

The company is also lowering eligibility requirements for the Archways to Opportunity program from nine months to 90 days of employment and dropping weekly shift minimums from 20 hours to 15 hours, making new summer restaurant employees eligible by the end of the season.

There are 252 McDonald's restaurants in Massachusetts. So, on average, each store is looking to hire around 14 employees. The jobs are permanent.

Job seekers can visit McDonalds.com/careers to learn more and apply.

The announcement came Friday after new statistics showed a statewide unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.

In recent years McDonald's restaurants across the country, and here in Western Massachusetts, have installed self-service kiosks where customers order their food and pay. The system requires employees to work the dining room, helping folks order and bringing them their food.

Read obituaries from The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Click below to read the obituaries published Friday in The Republican:

Obituaries from The Republican, May 18, 2018

Springfield's top cop, reacting to various new criminal charges against city officers, said such behavior is 'not typical" of officers on the force.

SPRINGFIELD -- Police Commissioner John Barbieri, responding to a series of new criminal charges brought against city officers Friday, including one charged with child rape and two charged with aggravated rape, said Friday that such behavior is "not typical" of officers on the force.

"This behavior is not typical of the nearly 500 men and women who represent the Springfield Police Department who risk their lives every day for our community," Barbieri said. "I am grateful for the work of our detectives in these investigations and now those accused will receive due process."

Daniel J. Cintron, 28, a suspended city police officer, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of child rape, and held without right to bail.

Cintron was arraigned on 18 criminal counts in Springfield District Court and held without right to bail.

In another case, two officers, Patrolmen Joshua Figueroa and Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, were indicted on aggravated rape charges Friday in Hampden Superior Court.

The two have not been arrested and there were no arraignment dates immediately known. The charges regard an alleged incident on March 16, 2017, in Springfield.

In a third case Friday, a suspended police officer, Jonathan Hernandez, was charged with violating a restraining order obtained by his former girlfriend. Hernandez pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court.

The court order had required him to stay away from the woman he was accused of assaulting in January, records said.

Barbieri said the Police Department has been exploring "an early warning system in patterns of behaviors" to try to prevent such actions "and get our officers any help they may need.

"The early warning system is part of a contract we agreed to with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) that when they begin their work they can hopefully implement immediately for our officers, especially for our veterans," Barbieri said.

Ludlow police were investigating an apparent stabbing that took place near an East Street business early Friday evening, May 18.

(Update: The Ludlow Police Department dispatch listed the incident as a "serious assault" on May 18, at 9:30 p.m. There were no further details.) 

LUDLOW -- Police were investigating an apparent stabbing on East Street early Friday evening.

The Republican / MassLive.com contacted Ludlow police around 8 p.m., but a dispatcher said things were "very busy right now" and no one was available to comment.

A witness said the incident happened near Ludlow Central Bakery, 270 East St., and appeared to involve a male victim. The man was seen being placed on a stretcher and loaded into the back of an ambulance. 

An apparent suspect was taken into custody, according to the witness, who said there was a "lot of blood" at the scene.

Police cordoned off the area near East and Hubbard streets while they conducted their investigation. 

22News, citing a police spokesman, said the incident happened inside the bakery, but that information could not be independently verified right away. No further details were available.

Check back with MassLive.com for updates on this developing story.

MAP showing approximate location of incident:

Springfield police continued to search for a suspect in a home invasion Friday night that occurred during the day on Dwight Street in the North End. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Police continued to search Friday night for a second suspect who was involved in a Dwight Street home invasion in the North End during the day that led to a brief lockdown of a neighborhood school.

Ryan Walsh, a spokesman for the police department, said the second suspect remained at large shortly after 9 p.m.

Two suspects had fled the scene with police in pursuit toward the Connecticut line. The suspects apparently ditched the car, and one was arrested in Longmeadow, police said.

Police were being aided in the search by Longmeadow and Enfield police and state police from Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Here are the winning numbers in Friday's Mega Millions lottery drawing.

The Mega Millions drawing Friday offered another hefty payout for someone fortunate to win the lottery jackpot.

Mega Millions

Here are the winning numbers in the drawing:

09-26-53-64-66; Mega Ball: 11; Megaplier: 2X

The estimated jackpot for the drawing is $55 million. The cash option is about $32 million. If no one wins, the Mega Millions jackpot will get even bigger for Tuesday's drawing.

According to the game's official website, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.

Players pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers -- five different numbers from 1 to 70 and one number from 1 to 25 -- or select Easy Pick. A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing.

Jackpot winners choose whether to receive 30 annual payments, each five percent higher than the last, or a lump-sum payment.

Mega Millions drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays and are offered in 44 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $2 each.

With unanimous support from the New Bedford School Committee to name a new school playground after fallen Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon, an online fundraiser has been started to help fund the project.

With unanimous support from the New Bedford School Committee to name a new school playground after fallen Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon, an online fundraiser has been started to help fund the project.

The Campbell School PTO has been raising money for the new playground since last September ahead of the project's completion, which is expected this fall.

Gannon grew up across the street from the Campbell School in New Bedford, where his parents still live today.

So after Gannon was shot to death last month while trying to serve a warrant in Yarmouth, there was the idea to name the playground the Sgt. Sean M. Gannon Memorial Playground at Campbell School.

The School Committee on May 14 voted unanimously in support of the dedication.

A GoFundMe has raised $600 in two days, heading toward a goal of $250,000 for the playground.

"On their vote to name the future playground after Sgt. Gannon, Mayor Mitchell noted that Sean is someone all students can look up to - and we believe there is no one more worthy of this tribute," the fundraiser page reads.

Gannon, 32, was considered a rising star in the Yarmouth Police Department.

Thousands of people and law enforcement poured into Cape Cod to mourn him following his killing.

Thomas Latanowich, who authorities have called a career criminal, is accused of shooting Gannon and his K-9, Nero, while they were attempting to serve the warrant. Latanowich, 29, is being held without bail on a murder charge.

Gannon, Nero and another officer cleared the main areas of the house before entering an unfinished attic through a hole in a bedroom closet ceiling, officials said. Latanowich is accused of ambushing the officers.

Police say that a New Bedford man used a baseball bat to beat his dog inside a car in Dartmouth.

Police say that a New Bedford man used a baseball bat to beat his dog inside a car in Dartmouth.

Dartmouth police officers went to Colonial Way around 6:50 p.m. Friday after receiving a report about a man beating a dog.

An investigation determined that the man, 50-year Gregory Ostiguy, did beat his dog with the baseball bat, police said.

The dog was taken to a local veterinary hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.

Ostiguy, of Rockdale Avenue in New Bedford, is being charged with cruelty to animals.

A Chicopee and Springfield man have reportedly been arrested after the vehicle they were in fled a field sobriety test, striking two officers, city police reported Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Chicopee and Springfield man have reportedly been arrested after the vehicle they were in fled a field sobriety test, striking two officers, city police reported Saturday.

According to police, officers arrested 37-year-old Abismael Martinez, of Chicopee, and 35-year-old Jason Matos, of Springfield, following an early morning pursuit that ended at a State Police sobriety checkpoint off of Interstate 291 near Page Boulevard. 

Springfield Police said officers attempted to pull over the vehicle around 1 a.m. after allegedly witnessing reckless driving near Chestnut and Liberty Streets.

The driver, identified as Martinez, came to a stop on Hebron Street, where officers reportedly observed an open Coors Light can, bottle of Hennessy Liquor and a cup that appeared to be filled with liquor in the center console, police reported. 

Springfield Police said Martinez refused to exit the vehicle for a field sobriety test and allegedly sped off, striking two officers and dragging one several feet. 

Police reportedly spotted the car 10 minutes later on Main Street, near Grove Street, before following it onto I-291 East, where it was estimated to be traveling at a speed near 100 miles per hour. Massachusetts State Police took the lead during the highway pursuit.

The vehicle then took Exit 5A off of the highway, when it drove into a State Police sobriety checkpoint and was stopped, police reported. 

According to Springfield Police, Martinez again refused to leave the vehicle and resisted arrest before officers and troopers could take him into custody. Police said they removed a small knife from his belt. 

Matos was arrested without incident, police said. 

Martinez, who reportedly consented to a breath test at the Springfield Police headquarters, was found to have nearly twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system, according to police. 

Martinez faces several charges, including: Operating under the influence of liquor, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, failure to stop for police, operating at a speed greater than reasonable, failure to obey a red lens, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle.)

Matos, meanwhile, has been charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle.)

Police said the officers who were reportedly struck by the vehicle are expected to be OK. 

J.J. Watt, among the most prominent professional athletes in Houston, tweeted a two-word response to the mass shooting: "Absolutely horrific."

Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt told officials at Santa Fe High School that he will pay funeral costs for the victims of Friday's mass shooting, according to multiple reports.

A 17-year-old student killed 10 people, mostly students, in Friday's shooting about 30 miles outside Houston, before surrendering to officers, officials said. Ten more were wounded.

Watt, among the most prominent professional athletes in Houston, tweeted a two-word response to the carnage: "Absolutely horrific." But his response went beyond a tweet, with reports late Friday that he would pay for the victims' funerals. The team confirmed Watt's intention, according to ESPN and other outlets.

The Texans also released a statement after Friday's shooting, offering "our thoughts and heartfelt condolences to the victims, their families and all those affected."

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Other Houston athletes also weighed in on the tragedy, in what's become a numbingly familiar routine.

Prayers to the kids and families affected by today's tragedy. We need to do better by our children. #BiggerThanBasketball pic.twitter.com/CZxpMl5e6u

-- Chris Paul (@CP3) May 18, 2018

"We need to do better by our children," wrote Rockets star guard Chris Paul, who told reporters that his team's NBA playoff series against the Golden State Warriors "is minor compared to what is taking place down in Santa Fe." The family of Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta released a statement, which read in part, "There are no words that we can say that will take the sadness of this day away or provide any deeper understanding for this senseless tragedy. These children and the teacher that were lost, their families and the entire Santa Fe Community will remain heavy on our hearts and deep within our prayers today and in the days ahead." Guard Eric Gordon called it "a horrible act of violence."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who has been outspoken in his calls for gun control, tweeted Friday that "gun owners have a responsibility to store their firearms securely. The two guns used in Friday's shooting belong to the gunman's father, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

The Astros held a moment of silence before Friday night's game and flew the Texas state flags at half-staff, while Astros manager A.J. Hinch offered an impassioned speech on the issue of school shootings, telling reporters he "doesn't want to offer any more condolences" and that the rash of violence "makes me angry."

"Lives are being lost for no real, good reason," Hinch said Friday, via the Houston Chronicle. "There's never a good reason. My anger is because I have kids and I can appreciate how terrible everyone has to feel. . . . I don't have the words. I'm here in front of a bunch of cameras trying to make people feel better when I don't think the situation should ever happen. There's no reason for our schools to be combat zones. And it's turning that way."

Watt's gesture, meanwhile, comes several months after he was named the NFL's 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year, the league's top community service honor. He had launched a campaign to raise $200,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief last summer, which turned viral and eventually raised more than $37 million in three weeks.

"This award is about the inherent good that lies within humanity," Watt said in February, when he accepted the award. "It's about the city of Houston and its ability to overcome adversity at a time when it all seemed lost. It is about the hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country and all over the world who donated to a city they may have never been to, to people that they may never meet. But they donated simply because they saw their fellow humans going through a difficult time and they wanted to help out."

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who contributed $1 million to Watt's Harvey campaign on behalf of Walmart, thanked the defensive end "for going above and beyond for the families of Santa Fe, Texas. I love you," she wrote.

Thank you, @JJWatt for going above and beyond for the families of Santa Fe, Texas. I love you. https://t.co/y7qlg8Dsst

-- Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 19, 2018

(c) 2018, The Washington Post * Story by Dan Steinberg.