Fall River Councillor Says Mayor Flanagan Brandished Gun At Late Night Meeting

Fall River City Counselor, Jasiel Carreira accused Major, William Flanagan of intimidating him with a gun.

According to the Boston Herald, Counselor Jasiel Carreira was planning to meet with Mayor William Flanagan at midnight about a recall petition. Carreira said Flanagan was the target of the recall petition and wanted him to call the Fall River Herald News to say that he was forced to sign the petition. When Flanagan took out a gun the situation became tense.

Carreira has made a statement about the incident saying, "This is the mayor. I don’t know what he’s capable of. He didn’t forewarn me he had a gun. I thought, ‘This is ridiculous. This is crazy.’ There’s no doubt in my mind there was intimidation being used. No doubt.”

Carreira claims Flanagan put the gun out of its console and placed it on the dashboard of the Ford Explorer they were sitting in. Flanagan then said how he never left home with that gun. The major denies these accusations by stating that it was Carreira who came to him about being threatened to sign the petition, feared the organizers and was considering to get a license to carry. Flanagan also denies putting the gun on the dashboard saying it never left it's console. Flanagan said, “I was taken aback by the comments by the city councilor. They are unfounded and just not true.”

City Counselor Paul DaSilva joined the group midway through the incident and has stated that, "I don’t personally feel that anyone was threatened.”

Carreira has spoken to the Fall River police but has yet to press charges.