The co-owner of a restaurant in Boston’s North End was held without bail Friday afternoon after being arrested on charges over a shooting outside a popular pastry shop last week.
Monica’s Trattoria co-owner Patrick Mendoza was indicted in Boston Municipal Court on charges including assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault.
Officers assigned to the Boston Police Department’s fugitive unit detained Mendoza Friday morning after a warrant was issued for his arrest for allegedly opening fire outside Modern Pasty on Hanover Street while he was riding his bike on July 12.
Suffolk County Assistant District Daniel Nucci told the court that Mendoza was aiming for a man who lived above the store, a neighbor he reportedly had a fight with for years.
“He saw this person who he had previous affairs with, had previous run-ins with, he was actually on probation that day when the shooting happened,” Nucci said. “He fired several shots at this person and said, ‘It’s going fast. I am going to kill you.’ Fortunately, none of the shots hit the individual, but the window of Modern Pastry did.”
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After the shooting, Mendoza fled down Hanover Street as the victim notified police of the incident, Nucci said.
Nucci noted that Mendoza was on six months’ probation for a 2019 sexual assault involving the same victim and was due to expire on the same day of the shooting.
Modern Pastry closes at 10 p.m. and it appeared no one was in the store at the time of the shooting. Police were seen in the area collecting ballistic evidence in the hours after the shots were fired.
In the summer, there are typically long lines outside the store of people waiting to get cannolis and other baked goods.
Mendoza’s attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, denied the Commonwealth’s request to revoke bail for her client’s breach of probation and agreed to return to court on Wednesday, July 26, for a detention hearing.
Mendoza will be held without bail on Friday, but a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
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