GREENFIELD — An incident where multiple gunshots were fired at Leyden Woods not long after midnight on Friday morning resulted in a minor injury and three arrests.

Additionally, in an unrelated incident on Saturday, a Greenfield man was arrested on firearms charges.

The Greenfield Police Department released statements on both crimes on social media on Saturday.

Shooting at Leyden Woods

According to Greenfield Police, officers responded to Leyden Woods at around 12:06 a.m. on Friday following multiple reports of shots fired.

Officers determined that “a verbal argument accelerated into a physical fight, which led to a man being struck in the head with an object consistent with a pipe,” a Greenfield Police Facebook post states. The suspect — later identified as John McKnight, 41, of Turners Falls — that struck the victim with the object allegedly smashed out the windshields of two vehicles in the parking lot with his elbow before leaving the scene.

Approximately 20 minutes later, McKnight allegedly returned to Leyden Woods with two other people later identified by Greenfield Police as Robert Byrd, 21, of Greenfield, and De Andre Clark, 21, of Brattleboro, Vermont. Byrd and Clark were allegedly holding guns, according to police.

“Byrd threatened to kill the victim and shot the firearm,” the Facebook post states. Clark also allegedly started shooting his gun into the air.

“The victim was injured resulting from a gunshot,” acting Police Chief William Gordon said in an interview. The victim’s injury was minor.

McKnight was arrested immediately, according to police. He was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle. He was held at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction without bail until his arraignment that morning.

During the day Friday, Gordon said, detectives reviewed video footage, interviewed witnesses, and issued arrest warrants for Byrd and Clark.

According to Gordon, Byrd was arrested when he came into the Police Station to ask questions about his car. He is being charged with carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a FID card, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, use of a firearm while committing a felony, obstructing an investigation, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery with a firearm. He is being held on $35,000 bail.

Clark turned himself in at the Police Station, according to police. He is being charged with carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a FID license, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery with a firearm.

Massachusetts State Police and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office’s Anti-Crime Task Force assisted.

‘High-risk’ traffic stop

At around 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, a disturbance was reported on Mill Street. The reporting party allegedly told Greenfield Police that the person leaving the scene, William Rewis, 22, of Greenfield, had a gun.

The officers found Rewis almost immediately on the Mohawk Trail in the area of Dunkin’ Donuts. Police performed a “high-risk stop” on the vehicle, which Gordon explained means officers approached the car with their guns drawn. Upon investigation, “in the center console of the vehicle, a loaded ‘ghost glock’ firearm was located,” police reported on Facebook.

Rewis was arrested and brought to the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction. His charges include carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a FID card, possession of a large-capacity magazine and threat to commit a crime. Bail was set at $20,000.

Contact Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.

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