Pagan biker shot in the face, Pawtucket police say
PAWTUCKET — A Pagan motorcycle club member was shot in the face outside the biker group's clubhouse on Lafayette Street Saturday night, police said.
In what appeared to be a drive-by attack, the 49-year-old man was shot around 10:15 p.m. while standing outside the clubhouse at 320 Lafayette St., according to a news release from Pawtucket Police.
The victim was taken to an unidentified hospital and was in critical condition Sunday morning.
Officers converged on the clubhouse after the shooting. In addition to Pawtucket police, Rhode Island State Police troopers and officers from Pawtucket and Cranston were involved.
Two Pagan club members were taken to police headquarters for questioning and one of them, 36-year-old Joseph Lepore of Waltham, Mass., was charged with carrying illegal weapons, Pawtucket Detective Sgt. Theodore Georgitsis told The Journal.
Lepore had was picked up trying to leave the scene of the shooting on his motorcycle with an axe, a knife and a sword, Georgitsis said.
The other Pagan club member questioned by police was released.
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Detectives are trying to identify the vehicle used in the drive-by shooting.
"None of the [Pagan motorcycle club] members are cooperating with investigators," the news release said.
Georgitsis told The Journal it was possible the rival Hells Angels biker gang was involved due to their history of bad blood with the Pagans, but police do not have any evidence to make that connection at the moment.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Pawtucket shooting: Pagan motorcycle club member shot in face
