Felony stop leads to firearm arrest after Leominster woman reports armed man in driveway

LEOMINSTER — On Sunday, May 25, 2025, at approximately 11:04 p.m., Officer Adam Washburn and Officer Gabrielle Larivee of the Leominster Police Department were dispatched to 24 Vine Street following a report of a male party – later identified as Emanuel Nunez Bravo – walking up the reporting party’s driveway with a gun.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narratives of Officer Adam Washburn, Officer Gabrielle Larivee, and Officer Dennis Hatstat, and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

According to police, Emanuel Nunez Bravo, 26, is a resident of 740 Central Street, Leominster, MA.

Officer Washburn stated that upon arrival, he checked the area with Officer Brett Bourne and Officer David Rydzefski, who had also responded to the scene, while Officer Larivee and Officer Dennis Hatstat spoke with the reporting party.

The reporting party told Officer Larivee that she heard the loud exhaust of a vehicle outside her door, which prompted her to look out her window. As she did, she said she saw a man walking down her driveway holding a gun.

“[The reporting party] stated that she didn’t see what he was wearing because she panicked,” Officer Larivee said. “[She] was able to see his face and identify the male as Emanuel Nunez Bravo.

Officer Larivee said the reporting party stated that she went to high school with Nunez Bravo and recognized him, though she has not spoken to him in years.

The reporting party said that Nunez Bravo left in a dark blue or black Acura or Infiniti with silver wheels and a loud exhaust.

“[The reporting party] stated that a similar vehicle was following her friends and waving guns at them earlier in the day,” Officer Larivee said.

After hearing this, Officer Hatstat called dispatch to get information on Nunez Bravo. Dispatch got a plate number and informed the officers over the radio.

“I went back and spoke with [the reporting] party, she said all four of her tires had been slashed,” Officer Larivee said. “[She] stated that she parked her vehicle earlier today and there was no damage. She stated that she walked outside after Emanuel had left the driveway and she heard a hissing noise. When she looked at her vehicle, she had noticed that all four of her tires were deflating. While I was taking pictures of the tires, a vehicle drove by on Merriam Avenue and [the reporting party] pointed out the vehicle and said that is the vehicle in question. This vehicle was traveling on Merriam Avenue outbound about 250 feet from the residence. When [the reporting party] pointed it out, it was at the intersection of Vine Street and Merriam Avenue. Officer Hatstat and I left the residence to conduct a motor vehicle stop.”

Officer Hatstat caught up to the vehicle before Officer Larivee and conducted a felony stop in front of the United Methodist Church at the intersection of Merriam Avenue and Hall Street.

“At this point, I illuminated the interior of the vehicle with my cruiser lights,” Officer Hatstat said. “I unholstered my department issued firearm and pointed it at the vehicle. I began giving the driver commands. Please note, I perceived this to be a potentially lethal encounter due to a firearm being displayed for no legitimate purpose. It was also close to midnight and dark.”

Officer Washburn arrived to assist while Officer Hatstat was conducting the traffic stop.

Officer Washburn drew his firearm, approached the left side of Officer Hatstat—about 15 feet away—and held his weapon at the low ready, aimed toward Nunez Bravo.

Officer Hatstat ordered Nunez Bravo to exit the vehicle and directed him to get on his knees with his hands raised in the air.

“Once Nunez Bravo was down on his knees with his hands up and facing away from us, I holstered my firearm and moved in to handcuff Mr. Nunez Bravo,” Officer Washburn said.

Officer Washburn said that once Nunez Bravo was handcuffed, he stood him up and performed a pat frisk due to the possible firearm involved. According to Officer Washburn, Nunez Bravo had a few dollars and a vape in his right pocket, along with an empty, unzipped black shoulder bag strapped around him.

“While doing the frisk, I could hear the passenger, Vanessa Montesdeoca, yelling to him and at one point she lunged toward me,” Officer Washburn said. “Due to the nature of the call and the two parties yelling and increasingly getting agitated, I did not believe it to be tactically feasible at that time to double lock the handcuffs.”

Officer Larivee and Officer Bourne, who had also responded to the scene, detained Montesdeoca and handcuffed her behind her back for officer safety.

“There was also a male party identified as Enrique Deandrade who was in the grass of the church yard,” Officer Larivee said. “It was unclear at this time if Enrique had anything to do with the individuals in the motor vehicle. I ordered Enrique to turn around and put his hands behind his back.”

Deandrade was handcuffed for officer safety, Officer Larivee said.

“It was later determined Enrique was not involved in the crime,” Officer Larivee said.

Deandrade’s handcuffs were then removed and he was let go.

Police then searched Nunez Bravo’s vehicle and located a Sig Sauer 380 handgun in the unlocked glove box of the vehicle along with a magazine and three rounds of ammunition.

“The serial number was confirmed with dispatch that the firearm was stolen out of Hillsboro, New Hampshire,” Officer Larivee said. “It was also confirmed with dispatch that Emanuel doesn’t have an active LTC [License to Carry] in Massachusetts.”

Police also located a pocket knife with a picture of a wolf on it and a ski mask in the armrest/cup holder of the vehicle, which were taken in as evidence along with the handgun.

Officer Larivee read Montesdeoca her Miranda warning from a card that she keeps in her vest.

“Vanessa stated that she understood what I read,” Officer Larivee said. “Vanessa stated that she had no idea what was going on, and she was unaware of any vandalism that happened. Vanessa didn’t wish to comment on the firearm that was found in the vehicle. Vanessa was yelling to Emanuel during the whole encounter.”

Montesdeoca was then released and Nunez Bravo was arrested.

“Emanuel and Vanessa were informed that Emanuel was under arrest and he gave Vanessa permission to take the vehicle after it was deemed safe,” Officer Larivee said.

Nunez Bravo was then transported to the Leominster Police Department by Officer Hatstat for booking.

Officer Larivee then returned to the reporting party’s residence on Vine Street to take pictures of her vandalized vehicle.

“I spoke with [the reporting party] and advised her that he had been arrested,” Officer Larivee said. “She had no further information to provide me. She still had no idea why Emanuel would have targeted her house and vehicle. I offered her an emergency RO [restraining order], but she said that she didn’t need it.”

Officer Larivee then returned to the station and attempted to speak with Nunez Bravo, but he refused to speak with police.

Nunez Bravo was charged with the following:

1. Possess Firearm in Felony
2. Vandalize Property (for slashing the reporting party’s tires)
3. Carry Firearm without License Loaded
4. Carry Firearm without License
5. Receive Stolen Property -$1200
6. Possess Ammunition without FID Card

Nunez Bravo’s bail was set at $2,500 cash.

“Emanuel was able to make bail, so I called and informed [the reporting party] that Emanuel was released,” Officer Larivee said.

Nunez Bravo was arraigned in Leominster District Court on May 27, 2025. During his arraignment, the Commonwealth filed a motion for a dangerousness hearing. Judge Mark Noonan held the dangerousness hearing during Nunez Bravo’s arraignment and found him dangerous, but instead of ordering the standard 120-day detention, Judge Noonan released Nunez Bravo with the following conditions: that he stay away from and not contact the victim, stay away from the victim’s address, not break any state or federal laws, and possess no firearms.

Nunez Bravo’s next court date is a pretrial hearing scheduled for June 27, 2025.

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in May, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.

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