Attempted Murder Charges Against 15-Year-Old Dropped

The Berkshire Eagle reports a July shooting on River Street that put a man in critical condition remains unsolved, after the youth originally charged was found to have been unjustly accused, police say.

Chief Jason R. Wood said a witness had implicated a 15-year-old in the shooting, but later recanted statements to police that the juvenile had approached the victim of the shooting and had also confessed.

Alexander Sohn, the juvenile's attorney, said he made a verbal case for his client's innocence with the Berkshire District Attorney's office Aug. 4, and provided a written request to dismiss the case Aug. 7, detailing the evidence gathered.

Sohn said the DA's office filed a notification Sept. 1 that it will not prosecute. The office declined to comment.

Wood said his department's investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

On July 14, around 7:20 p.m., a 62-year-old city man, David Wood (no relation to the police chief), was shot in the neck while he was walking along River Street. The shooting occurred near 71 River St.