SALEM, MA – A promising young basketball player from Salem State University was tragically killed in a shooting incident near the campus early Wednesday morning. The victim, identified as 18-year-old Carl-Hens Beliard, was found with gunshot wounds in a car that had veered onto the sidewalk on Forest Avenue around 1:30 a.m., according to Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker.
Beliard, a freshman from Worcester, was quickly transported to Salem Hospital, but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. Later that evening, local authorities arrested 18-year-old Missael Pena Canela, also from Salem, charging him with murder. Canela is expected to face arraignment in Salem District Court on Thursday. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
The District Attorney’s office has indicated that the shooting was not random and posed no threat to the broader Salem State community. However, details regarding how Canela was identified as a suspect have not been disclosed.
Salem State President John Keenan expressed his deep sorrow over the incident, stating that as both a university president and a father, the tragedy was a devastating blow to the community and a parent’s worst fear realized. Beliard, a recent graduate of Worcester North High School, was just days away from playing his first college basketball game.
The city of Salem and Worcester have both expressed their condolences to the Beliard family and the Salem State University community. Worcester Mayor Joe Petty described Beliard as a hardworking and kind individual whose life was tragically cut short.
Beliard’s parents remember him as a proud athlete, with his mother, Altagrace Beliard, expressing her hope that the person responsible for her son’s death would be found. His father, Elijah, emphasized that his son was never involved in any violence. The family fondly recalls Beliard’s proudest moment – winning the boy’s basketball state championship for Worcester’s North High School.