NORTH ANDOVER - A man with a lengthy criminal record involving drugs was killed in a spray of bullets outside his home where he lived with his three sons in what investigators said they believe was a targeted hit yesterday morning.
Alfredo Torres, 47, of 100 Union St., was shot multiple times around 7:20 a.m. The shooters fled in a black sport utility vehicle with New York license plates, according to police and witnesses.
One of Torres' three sons was with him at the time, a neighbor said.
Police found Torres on the ground near a dark blue Dodge Caravan minivan parked next to the sidewalk in front of the house. The van had bullet holes in the rear window and driver's side and passenger's side windows.
A neighbor, who would only identify herself as Cindy, said she heard nine gunshots.
"I heard three, then a pause, then three, then a pause, three," she said.
Another neighbor, who declined to give her name, said the SUV pulled up alongside Torres, fired at him, then pulled into the driveway next to the house and fired again. The driver then backed out of the driveway and sped off toward Waverley Road, she said.
Police received a 911 call at 7:19 a.m. reporting several gunshots fired, Chief Richard Stanley said.
"The shooting is not believed to be a random act," said a press release from the district attorney's office.
Torres was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, then flown to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston via a MedFlight helicopter. He died at Beth Israel at 9:18 a.m.
Kizzella Hernandez, who owns the two-family, yellow building at 100 Union St., said he and his family live on the first floor, and Torres lived with his sons on the second floor.
Hernandez said Torres was a good tenant and had custody of his three sons, ages 8 to about 16. He said Torres worked for a cleaning company, but did not know which one.
"I have never had any problems," the landlord said of Torres. "Always paid on time."
He said Torres was in his second year of living in the apartment. Torres used to live on Andover Street in Lawrence, according to his criminal record.
A neighbor said two of Torres' sons were in school at the time of the shooting, and one was with him at the time.
A bullet appeared to have struck the side of the house, which is near the corner of Union and Beverly streets. The neighborhood is in a densely populated section of town between Waverley Road and Interstate 495.
Alfredo Torres, 47, of 100 Union St., was shot multiple times around 7:20 a.m. The shooters fled in a black sport utility vehicle with New York license plates, according to police and witnesses.
One of Torres' three sons was with him at the time, a neighbor said.
Police found Torres on the ground near a dark blue Dodge Caravan minivan parked next to the sidewalk in front of the house. The van had bullet holes in the rear window and driver's side and passenger's side windows.
A neighbor, who would only identify herself as Cindy, said she heard nine gunshots.
"I heard three, then a pause, then three, then a pause, three," she said.
Another neighbor, who declined to give her name, said the SUV pulled up alongside Torres, fired at him, then pulled into the driveway next to the house and fired again. The driver then backed out of the driveway and sped off toward Waverley Road, she said.
Police received a 911 call at 7:19 a.m. reporting several gunshots fired, Chief Richard Stanley said.
"The shooting is not believed to be a random act," said a press release from the district attorney's office.
Torres was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, then flown to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston via a MedFlight helicopter. He died at Beth Israel at 9:18 a.m.
Kizzella Hernandez, who owns the two-family, yellow building at 100 Union St., said he and his family live on the first floor, and Torres lived with his sons on the second floor.
Hernandez said Torres was a good tenant and had custody of his three sons, ages 8 to about 16. He said Torres worked for a cleaning company, but did not know which one.
"I have never had any problems," the landlord said of Torres. "Always paid on time."
He said Torres was in his second year of living in the apartment. Torres used to live on Andover Street in Lawrence, according to his criminal record.
A neighbor said two of Torres' sons were in school at the time of the shooting, and one was with him at the time.
A bullet appeared to have struck the side of the house, which is near the corner of Union and Beverly streets. The neighborhood is in a densely populated section of town between Waverley Road and Interstate 495.
Stanley would not say if police recovered a weapon or any shell casings.
Torres had a criminal record dating to 1985. He has been arraigned on 35 charges. Twenty three of those are drug charges. The only time Torres went to jail was when he was sentenced to five to seven years for possession of a class A substance with intent to distribute. He was sentenced on Jan. 13, 1997. The case was out of Lawrence.
Torres' record also includes an assault and battery charge, assault with a dangerous weapon and motor vehicle charges.
Police had made no arrests as of last night. Police broadcast a bulletin telling officers to be on the lookout for the getaway vehicle, which they described as a black sport utility vehicle with chrome trim and New York license plates. They said they believed two men were inside, and that the gunman sat in the passenger seat and the weapon was a handgun.
A tow crew hauled away Torres' minivan and a newer model light blue Hummer in the driveway next to the house.
Torres owned neither vehicle, according to Steve O'Connell, spokesman for the district attorney. O'Connell would not say who owns the vehicles, and he and police released few other details.
The state Department of Social Services is involved in the case, spokesman Richard Nangle said.
"DSS is working with the family, especially the children, during this tragic time for them," Nangle said in a statement. "Beyond that, we cannot comment further as this is now a criminal investigation."
"He was a good guy," said Torres' nephew, Chris. "We don't know what happened."
Distraught family members walked out of the police station weeping at 10:55 a.m. They declined to comment.
An officer escorted family members into the home about 1:15 p.m. The group included a young man and two young boys. The young man and the boys left the home carrying some belongings and declined to comment.
North Andover police are asking anyone with information about the slaying to call them at 978-688-6500.
