Pregnant woman beaten at baby shower

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

Pregnant woman beaten at baby shower
Police: Fight escalated over whether woman gave 5-year-old beer

Wednesday, April 5, 2006; Posted: 6:00 p.m. EDT (22:00 GMT)
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts (AP) -- An argument at a baby shower escalated into a brawl in which one man was shot and the pregnant guest of honor was beaten with a stick, police said.

Three people were arrested after the fight, described by police as a "baby shower gone bad."

Authorities said the shooting victim, Aristotle Garcia, got into a fight with a man who is dating his ex-girlfriend. The argument, over whether the woman let their 5-year-old daughter drink beer, escalated and drew in two other people -- Jazz Rivas and Juan Velazquez, said Police Lt. Cheryl C. Claprood.

When the baby shower's hostess tried to intervene, Rivas began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be, with a large stick, she said.

Velazquez fired a gun in the air, then fired it into the crowd, hitting Garcia in the stomach, according to police. Garcia, 26, was in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center. The mother-to-be, who was seven months pregnant, was treated after the incident Saturday and released.

Velazquez, 19, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and armed assault with intent to murder. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday and was ordered held on $100,000 bail.

The man Garcia was initially fighting with, Antonio Santiago, 25, pleaded not guilty to similar charges Tuesday and was ordered held on $50,000 bail.

Rivas, 22, pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery on a pregnant female. His bail was set at $10,000.