Police: No Arrests Yet in Washington Street Shooting

The 18-year-old Peabody male who was shot multiple times at a Washington Street apartment Thursday is in critical, but stable condition at Mass. General Hospital, and police remain tight-lipped about any developments in the case since then.

Peabody Police Detective Michael Crane said Tuesday afternoon the investigation is still open and no arrests have been made.

Crane said detectives assigned to the district attorney's office are assisting in the investigation and further details of the case are not being publicly disclosed at this time. That includes information on possible suspects and even how many people were involved in the incident.

The one thing police do stress is they don't believe the shooting was a random act of violence.

According to a police log entry from Thursday night, officers Matthew Mason and Javier Sanchez responded to 45 Washington St. #5 around 11 p.m. on a report of a possible stabbing. Someone dialed 911, reported the incident and then hung up.

The officers then said it was a shooting and about 45 minutes later, six people (four females and two males) were taken to the police station.

A statement released Friday morning said the officers located one male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and he was transported to Salem Hospital. Crane said the teen was later transferred to Boston.

According to the log, police also contacted area hospitals to find out if any patients were recently admitted with gunshot wounds. It was unclear if that was initially in reference to the victim or a possible suspect.

Steve O'Connell, a spokesman for District Attorney Jon Blodgett's office, told the Salem News the victim's name is Frank Celestino. He said Celestino is a Peabody resident, but doesn't live at 45 Washington St.

The shooting was the second in as many months on Washington Street and just a half mile away near Oak and Pleasant streets. Police said the earlier incident was not a random shooting either.

On Jan. 3, a 27-year-old resident, John Leger, was shot in the leg at an apartment above D'Orsi's Bakery. Police did identify a suspect in that attack and are still searching for him, according to Crane.

Aquiles Antonio Bernabe-Deleon, 21, of Lynn, is wanted on several charges including armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a gun).