Nguyen arraigned in connection with Lee shooting

A Lee man was arraigned this afternoon in Central Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield in connection with a shooting Thursday evening in Lee.  51 year old PHAP NGUYEN (175 Beartown Mountain Road) appeared before Judge Michael Ripps.

NGUYEN had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on one (1) count of ARMED ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO MURDER and one (1) count of CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.  Judge Ripps ordered that he be held without the right to bail and sent NGUYEN to Bridgewater State Hospital for a competency evaluation.  NGUYEN is scheduled to be back in Southern Berkshire District Court in Great Barrington for a pretrial hearing on January 3, 2013.     

Lee police received a call of an alleged shooting at 175 Beartown Mountain Road about 5:45 p.m. Thursday.  Officers from Lee, Lenox, Stockbridge and Massachusetts State Police from the Lee barracks along members of the Berkshire County Special Response Team responded.  A 30 year old man who lived at the same address was transported to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield where he underwent emergency surgery for gunshot wounds to his legs and abdomen.  According to a BMC spokesperson the victim is in stable condition.  It is alleged that NGUYEN also shot and killed a dog belonging to the victim. 

The investigation is being conducted by state police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office, members of the Lee Police Department and troopers assigned to the Ballistics and Crime Scene Services Section of the Massachusetts State Police.