Woman held on $20,000 cash bail in South Shore Plaza fatal shooting; investigation ongoing

Mary Whitfill, The Patriot Ledger
·2 min read

BRAINTREE — An Attleboro woman is facing charges in connection with a shooting at the South Shore Plaza that left a 26-year-old man dead last weekend.

Samantha Schwartz, 27, was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Quincy. She is charged with one count of accessory after the fact of murder in the death of Dijoun Beasley, who was shot in the head at the mall Saturday, Jan. 22.

Samantha Schwartz, 27, was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Quincy. She is charged with one count of accessory after the fact of murder in the death of Dijoun Beasley, who was shot in the head at the mall Saturday, Jan. 22, 2021.
Samantha Schwartz, 27, was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Quincy. She is charged with one count of accessory after the fact of murder in the death of Dijoun Beasley, who was shot in the head at the mall Saturday, Jan. 22, 2021.

Schwartz was arraigned Friday morning in Quincy District Court. She was held on $20,000 cash bail.

The shooter has not been arrested, but authorities say they know who he is.

“The shooter remains at large tonight, and this investigation remains ongoing and very active,” Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said in a statement Thursday night. “Additional details relative to the basis for the accessory charge may be disclosed to the court during her arraignment tomorrow.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Braintree Police at 781-794-8620 or email tips@braintreema.gov, or call State Police detectives at 781-830-4990.

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Beasley, 26, of Dorchester, was shot midafternoon Saturday near the Forever 21 store at the mall. The shooting caused shoppers and employees to scramble for safety and a massive police response. He was taken to Boston Medical Center and the Norfolk District Attorney's office announced his death on Monday.

Authorities believe Beasley was targeted by the shooter, who immediately left the mall.

Braintree Deputy Chief Tim Cohoon, Deputy Chief Michael Want and Mayor Charles Kokoros held a press conference about 5 p.m. Saturday. Cohoon said that there was an “encounter” between two males inside one of the stores.

“One male produced a firearm and shot the other male,” he said.

Cohoon said the shooting "looks like a targeted event. It doesn't appear to be random at all."

Braintree Mayor Charles Kokoros and Braintree Police Chief Mark Dubois told The Patriot Ledger they had plans to meet with representatives of Simon Property Group, the mall's operator, Thursday.

There were also shootings at the South Shore Plaza in 2020 and 2017.

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Reach Mary Whitfill at mwhitfill@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Woman arrested in South Shore Plaza death, shooter still at large