HAVERHILL – On Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at approximately 1:34 a.m., Officer Michael Connolly was among the Haverhill police officers who responded to the corner of Emerson and Walnut streets following a report of a disturbance.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Michael Connolly and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
Officer Connolly said the first caller repeatedly stated that there had been a shooting but did not answer dispatch’s questions about whether she had seen a firearm or if anyone had been shot. Instead, she continued yelling throughout the call.
Upon arrival, Officer Connolly said police located a large group of people at the corner of Emerson and Walnut streets as well as in front of the Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge located at 30 Emerson Street.
“One male party was located on the sidewalk, who appeared to be unconscious with a lump on his head,” Officer Connolly said.
Police began securing the area and speaking with those involved.
“Pridestar EMS was dispatched due to this male party, who was identified as Frantzdley Jean, having sustained injuries,” Officer Connolly said.
According to police, Frantzdley Jean, 22, is a resident of Haverhill, MA.
Two other responding officers, Sergeant Cory Baldera and Officer Janai Chaney-Johnson, spoke with Jean, who told them, “They hit me.”
“I spoke with a male party who was nearby Frantzdley when this occurred; he was identified as Smart [last name redacted],” Officer Connolly said. “Smart stated that Frantzdley had been kicked out of the bar at Afro-Infused and that he returned with a red bat and began hitting the glass on the front door. He stated that at first, due to the noise, he believed it sounded like gunshots as well, but quickly realized it was not. I asked Smart if he had seen what happened to him after he did this, and he stated that he did not and believed that he was just passed out drunk.”
Officer Connolly said that since the incident was initially reported as shots fired, Smart was pat frisked to ensure he didn’t have any weapons.
Officer Connolly said a check of the interior of Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge and the area outside the establishment where the disturbance occurred revealed no indication of a shooting.
“There were no gunshot victims, blood, or bullet holes/casings in this area,” Officer Connolly said. “It should be noted that Sergeant [John] Orsillo also spoke with the reporting party, and it was reiterated that she believed she heard gunshots but realized it was the bat hitting the front door of the establishment, Afro-Infused.”
When Pridestar EMS arrived on scene, Jean was placed in the ambulance and Officer Jack Miller followed the ambulance to Lawrence General Hospital.
Officer Connolly then spoke with the owner of Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge, who was identified as Daniel Isibor.
“Daniel stated that Frantzdley was kicked out of the bar due to him spraying a bottle of alcohol everywhere and that he was too drunk to be inside,” Officer Connolly said. Isibor said that he and one of his cooks pushed Jean out the door and told him he needed to leave.
Isibor told Officer Connolly that, in an attempt to calm things down, he followed Jean outside and tried to explain why he had been removed from the establishment. Jean then left and returned a short time later with a red bat.
Isibor said Jean approached him while holding the bat behind his leg, then showed it to him. Fearing he would be struck with the bat, Isibor ran back inside the bar.
“Daniel stated that was when he began hitting the bar’s front door,” Officer Connolly said.
Isibor said he did not know what had happened to Jean, but that other people had to hold Jean back and restrain him on the ground.
“It should be noted that no red bat was located in the area of this incident,” Officer Connolly said.
Isibor said Jean returned with one of his friends, and he believed Jean’s friend may have taken the bat and hidden it.
“I asked Daniel if he had struck him or placed his hands on him, to which he stated he had not, and that he did not see anyone strike him,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Connolly then spoke with two witnesses who said they saw Jean get kicked out of the bar, then return and strike the front glass door with a bat. Both said they did not see anyone attack or strike Jean.
“I asked both parties if they had hit him, to which they stated they did not,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Connolly then spoke with a third witness who said he saw Jean being kicked out of the bar.
“He stated that when the male party returned and started hitting the door, he was hit in the hand with the bat as he was trying to keep the door closed and keep him from coming inside the bar,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Connolly added that the third witness said he was okay and did not want any medical attention.
“It should be noted that Daniel Isibor provided me with video footage of the establishment’s interior, which shows Frantzdley being removed from the bar and, shortly after leaving, a male party holding a red object hitting the door while [the third witness] stands by it,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Anthony McGrane then spoke with Jean’s girlfriend who stated, through her friend’s translation, that she was dancing with Jean at the party.
“He then bought a bottle of champagne and poured it over her head in celebration,” Officer Connolly said. “[Jean’s girlfriend] stated that he poured it on her only to celebrate, not because they were fighting.”
Jean’s girlfriend said that the employees of Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge got upset when they say Jean pour the champagne over her head and asked him to leave. She said thajeat when Jean left and altercation ensued between him and the workers outside the restaurant.
“[Jean’s girlfriend] was unsure who may have got into a physical altercation with him, but stated that he was one of the workers,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Connolly said city camera footage from the intersection of Welcome and Emerson streets appeared to show three people walking away from the direction of Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge at 1:31 a.m.
Officer Connolly said one person went to the front of 66 Emerson Street, while two others approached a vehicle in the property’s parking lot, where it appears they may have retrieved an item from the vehicle, but the video quality made it difficult to confirm.
“In the video, as the two males walked back from the car, the third male appeared to hold his friend back from going back to the Afro-Infused area, pushing him and trying to stop him from going in that direction,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Connolly said the two individuals who may have retrieved an item from the vehicle were then seen in the surveillance footage walking back toward Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge. Police were then seen arriving on scene at 1:34 a.m.
“Officer Miller remained with Frantzdley at the hospital. After the medical evaluation, Officer Miller began his investigation into what happened,” Officer Connolly said. “According to Officer Miller, he knew that Frantzdley did not speak English; he knew Frantzdley spoke Haitian Creole. Officer Miller then got an online translator through the hospital.”
Officer Miller then read Jean his Miranda rights from a card he carries on his person.
“According to Officer Miller, because Frantzdley was hooked up to an oxygen machine and unable to be fully verbal, he advised him to make a noise if he understood and wished to speak with him, or to move his arm if he didn’t wish to speak to the police,” Officer Connolly said. “Frantzdley then moved his arm, signaling he did not wish to speak.”
Officer Miller said he then asked Jean if he would speak to him as a victim because he had also been struck.
“Frantzdley then signaled by using a groan-like noise, as instructed by Officer Miller, that he wished to speak,” Officer Connolly said. “Hospital nurses were then able to remove the oxygen machine from him. According to Officer Miller, Frantzdley was then able to speak clearly. According to Officer Miller, when asked what happened, Frantzdley stated he was at the bar/lounge celebrating his birthday. He stated that, while celebrating, he popped a bottle of champagne. After the champagne bottle was popped, it sprayed onto the bartender. The bartender and Frantzdley then got into a verbal altercation, which led the bartender to strike him with a closed fist. Frantzdley stated that he and his girlfriend were kicked out of the lounge.”
Jean then stated that while he was outside, he got into another altercation with a group of people.
“According to Frantzdley, the group of individuals then instigated a physical altercation, where he stated he was jumped. Frantzdley was then asked if he could name any of the individuals who assaulted him, which he stated he could not,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Miller said that now that Jean was able to speak with him verbally, he reread him his Miranda rights.
“After he was read his rights and asked if he would like to speak to Officer Miller, hе stated he wished not to speak until consulting his lawyer,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Miller said he then ended his questioning and left the hospital.
Officer Connolly said Officer Michael Silvestro then informed him that he spoke with a chef at the restaurant who stated that when they tried to remove Jean from the establishment for being belligerent, he was punched multiple times by Jean.
“He stated to Officer Silvestro that he was not injured and did not require medical attention,” Officer Connolly said. “He also stated that he did not want to pursue any charges regarding him getting hit.”
Officer Connolly added that a hammer, screwdriver, jewelry, wallet, portable charger, and car keys to a Mercedes were found in the area where Jean was found lying on the ground. Police photographed the items, which were then collected and logged into evidence.
“The hammer and screwdriver are unknown to have been involved in this incident, but were collected because they were in the immediate area,” Officer Connolly said. “Due to Frantzdley’s condition and his need for medical treatment following the incident, he was not placed under arrest at that time.”
Officer Connolly added that Lieutenant Kevin Lynch reviewed the surveillance footage Isibor provided, which was also entered into evidence.
“The Liquor Commission will be notified based on the level of intoxication of Frantzdley Jean,” Officer Connolly said.
Officer Connolly said that when Jean came into the police department at around 7:15 p.m. to retrieve some of his personal belongings from the earlier incident, he was informed by police that he was being placed under arrest.
After he was handcuffed, Jean was introduced to Lieutenant Branden Sheehy.
“Officer [Anthony] McGrane, using a translator, advised him of his charges, his Miranda rights, and his right to a phone call,” Officer Connolly said. “During the booking process, Frantzdley Jean requested to be seen at the hospital for back pain. Pridestar EMS was dispatched, and Officer Miller rode along inside the ambulance with Frantzdley. Once Frantzdley was discharged from the hospital. Officer Miller returned with Frantzdley and completed the booking process without issue.”
On Sept. 19, 2026, at approximately 9:25 p.m., Officer Connolly said he spoke with Isibor by phone about property found at the restaurant.
“He stated he believed the phone and watch that were found belonged to Frantzdley,” Officer Connolly said. “I then returned to the booking area and spoke with Frantzdley to see if he was missing a phone and a watch. He stated he was missing an orange iPhone 17 Pro Max and a silver watch with a square face.”
At approximately 9:34 p.m., Officer Connolly said Isibor arrived in the police station lobby and gave him the items that matched the description of what Jean said he was missing. The items were then placed into Jean’s prisoner property.
“While Daniel was speaking with me in the lobby, he reported that he had received a call from 781-XXX-XXXX,” Officer Connolly said. “He stated that a woman told him over the phone, ‘This is not going to end well, this is going to go too far.’ He then stated that during the phone call, it sounded like a group of male parties grabbed the phone and stated, ‘We’re going to shoot up the place’ in reference to Afro-Infused.”
Isibor said he believed the phone number belonged to the sister of Jean’s girlfriend but could not give police her name.
“He also stated that he wasn’t sure if they were related, but believed they had come to the restaurant before,” Officer Connolly said. “An idiCORE search revealed that this phone number has belonged to Margaret Warner of Somerville, MA, since August 15, 2026.”
Officer Connolly said Sergeant John Orsillo posted a notice on Digital HeadQuarters (DHQ), an internal police communication system, asking officers to conduct area checks related to the incident.
On September 20, 2026, at approximately 12:07 a.m., Officer Connolly said he was conducting directed patrol in front of Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge when he noticed a red object in the Bank of America parking lot at 181 Merrimack Street, which is across the street from Afro-Infused Restaurant and Lounge.
“I then entered this parking lot, and in the back of the lot, between the guardrail and the fence of the adjacent lot at 55 Emerson Street, I located a red baseball bat with significant damage to the end,” Officer Connolly said. “The bat was photographed, and the location where it was found was captured on my body-worn camera. It was then collected and entered into evidence.”
Frantzdley Jean, 22, of Haverhill, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Assault & Battery with Dangerous Weapon
- Assault with Dangerous Weapon
- Malicious Destruction of Property -$1200
Jean was arraigned in Haverhill District Court on Sept. 21, 2026. Following his arraignment, he was released on personal recognizance under the condition that he stay away from the location of the offense, not contact the victims, and possess no dangerous weapons.
Jean’s next court date is a pretrial hearing scheduled for Oct. 23, 2026.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in September, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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