• Police chase and arrest armed men wanted in home invasion



• By Telegram & Gazette Staff

  
  Posted Sep. 5, 2015 at 6:00 AM
  Updated Sep 5, 2015 at 9:02 AM 
  
  

  WORCESTER - After a brief foot pursuit in which one of two men police were chasing brandished a firearm, the suspects were caught and arrested Friday afternoon in connection with an armed home invasion Monday morning.

  Joshua E. Zavala-Castro, 19, of 47 Park Terrace Road, Apt. 2, and Cristian E. Carasquillo, 18, of 47 Lafayette St., were arrested after police spotted them about 4:30 p.m. walking near Lafayette and Washington streets. Police had already obtained warrants for the men's arrests on charges related to an armed home invasion and robbery earlier in the week, police said in a news release.

  According to police, the men began running after seeing police. Officers pursued them on foot and saw Mr. Zavala-Castro pull a firearm from his pants and raise it toward them. Officers immediately took "defensive measures" by drawing their own service weapons, police said. 

  "As a result, Mr. Zavala-Castro discarded his weapon and continued to run," police said. The officers continued chasing the two and eventually caught and arrest them without further resistance.

  Each man was arrested on warrants charging two counts of home invasion, two counts of armed robbery, carrying a firearm unlawfully, carrying a loaded firearm unlawfully, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, assault by means of a dangerous weapon (firearm), and two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (firearm).

  Mr. Zavala-Castro was additionally charged with carrying a firearm unlawfully, carrying a loaded firearm unlawfully, assault by means of a dangerous weapon (firearm), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, improper storage of a firearm and resisting arrest. Mr. Carasquillo was also charged with resisting arrest.

  The arrest warrants stemmed from a home invasion on Plum Street reported about 11:45 a.m. Monday. Police were told two armed men had broken into the apartment where they assaulted and robbed the occupants of cash and other valuables.

  During that incident, one of the victims struggled with one of the suspects and a shot was fired, police said. No one in the apartment was hurt when the firearm discharged, but the suspects fled shortly afterward and were last seen running down Shrewsbury Street.

  Detectives were able to determine the suspects identities and obtained arrest warrants Friday.

  Both men will be arraigned in Worcester District Court on Tuesday.