LOWELL — A Lowell man was arrested for allegedly firing two gunshots into the air and throwing an alcohol bottle through a car window following a confrontation outside his apartment on Bowden Street.
Chanborith Eanglee, 32, charged with several offenses, including discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, told police he fired the shots from a .380-caliber handgun in self defense, according to a Lowell Police report.
The alleged victims, meanwhile, claimed Eanglee fired off the shots because he was upset that his advances were rejected by one of the victims, the report states.
Police were called about gunshots, fired outside the apartment building in the 100 block of Bowden Street, shortly after 12:40 a.m. Sept. 9. Police said on scene a witness claimed she had been approached by a man in the apartment’s parking lot, later identified as Eanglee, who asked if she was single.
After informing Eanglee she was in a relationship, she and two of her friends got into a vehicle to leave. Police reports state the witnesses said Eanglee appeared upset, and proceeded to fire two shots from a firearm into the air. The witnesses then heard “a loud smash and observed the rear window of the vehicle smashed by a champagne bottle,” according to the report.
The report states police found two spent shell casings on the ground about 8 feet from the alleged victim’s vehicle, which had a rear window smashed out and a champagne bottle inside.
Police said they went to Eanglee’s apartment, where they took him into custody without incident. While in custody, police said Eanglee kept repeating to police that “he was gonna get jumped by people outside.”
Police said they found a handgun, loaded with a magazine containing three rounds, in plain view in Eanglee’s kitchen.
A search of his home also uncovered a digital scale with white powder residue, as well as a 9mm handgun, which was loaded with a 10-round magazine. Police said in the report that neither handgun was “locked or secured in anyway.”
The police report states while in custody, Eanglee told officers he became involved in a disagreement with a group of people outside his apartment, and, as a result, he fired a handgun into the air. He acknowledged he overreacted. Eanglee also admitted to throwing the bottle before fleeing into his apartment, but insisted he was acting in self defense.
According to police, Eanglee admitted to struggling with a cocaine addiction, but denied any involvement in the sale of the drug despite the presence of a digital scale at his home.
The report states police obtained a search warrant to access a safe inside Eanglee’s apartment, which they believed contained cocaine. Inside police alleged finding a bag containing four individual baggies that held 15 grams of a “white powder recognized to be consistent with cocaine.”
Police reported additionally finding “numerous unused square zip lock bags” and $4,252 cash.
Eanglee’s attorney, Ryan Sullivan, said his client is licensed to carry firearms. Sullivan also reiterated Eanglee’s statement that he acted in self defense.
“We continue to believe there’s more to this story that will be uncovered as the investigation continues,” Sullivan said.
In addition to the aforementioned charges, Eanglee was arraigned in Lowell District Court on Monday on malicious damage of motor vehicle, improper storage of a firearm, possession of firearm in commission of a felony, and possession to distribute a Class B drug.
Following a dangerousness hearing the same day, Eanglee was deemed a threat to the community by Judge Daniel Crane, who set bail at $2,000 cash. According to court documents, the bail was posted on Monday, and Eanglee was released.
He is slated to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 16.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X, formerly known as Twitter, @aselahcurtis
