Springfield police continue to probe the shooting.
Springfield Police search for bullet casings in the killing of a 38-year-old man on Lincoln Street.SPRINGFIELD – Police have identified the man fatally shot Sunday night in the McKnight neighborhood as 38-year-old Raul E. Vera.
Police were sent to the area of 66 Lincoln St. shortly before 7:15 p.m. for a reported shooting.
Vera, shot once in the neck, was taken to Baystate Medical Center where he was pronounced dead shortly before 7:40 p.m. He lived at 75 King St.
According to a release issued by Springfield police, Vera has a lengthy record with the department, has gang ties and was released from prison three months ago. He was last arrested on May 14 for breaking and entering.
Neighbors gathered for a short time around the scene. The shooting happened while people were outside celebrating the holiday weekend.
“We heard three shots and we thought they were M-80’s (fireworks),“ said Darwin Dawkins, who lives one street over.
This is the ninth murder in Springfield this year.
The eighth happened on May 21 when Carlos Gonzalez Beslanga, 32, of Connecticut, was stabbed to death during an argument with a relative’s neighbor. Suspect Luis Cintron turned himself into police on June 20.