Two charged in fatal shooting outside eatery
Police: Gunmen waited in parking lot of Woburn restaurant Saturday
A 26-year-old man is dead and two are facing murder charges after a shooting in the parking lot of a popular Woburn sports bar, terrorizing a community that hasn’t seen a homicide in more than 10 years, officials said.
Lloyd Borgella, 26, of Roslindale, was struck by “multiple” bullets in a shooting outside Jake n Joes Sports Grille Restaurant on Mishawum Road just after 9 p.m. Saturday, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Woburn Chief of Police Robert F. Rufo confirmed. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Pauliasky Jean Francois, 34, of Plymouth and Eric Mills, 29, of Hyde Park were charged in connection with the fatal shooting.
Police said Francois and Mills waited in the parking lot and shot Borgella as he left the restaurant after having dinner.
“There were at least 10 shots, illustrating once again the danger posed by handguns,” Ryan said during a Sunday press conference outside the Woburn Police station. She said the restaurant was busy at the time of the shooting, with several people loitering outside and in the parking lot as they waited for a table to open.
“Woburn — in credit to the police department and community — is a relatively safe community,” Ryan said.
Rufo said this is the first homicide the community has seen in at least 10 years.
“There is no danger to the community,” Rufo said, reiterating the suspects involved are in custody.
It’s still unclear if Francois and Mills knew the victim, but officials said there is “no connection” between the Woburn restaurant where the shooting occurred and those involved other than the fact that Borgella dined there shortly before his death.
“This is a very open and active investigation,” Ryan said. “We are less than 24 hours from the time of the incident.”
Following the shooting, Francois and Mills fled in a car, crashing about a quarter mile down the road, and then took off on foot, according to authorities. Police caught them at an intersection about a half a mile away from the crash.
Francois and Mills will be arraigned today in Woburn District Court on charges of murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, assault and battery by means with a dangerous weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon.