Carver shooting suspect arraigned on multiple criminal charges after fatal birthday party shooting

WAREHAM — Plymouth man Nicholas Meuse, 23, was arraigned in court Tuesday, in connection with the recent birthday party shooting in Carver that left two people dead, including a 20-year-old Middleboro resident.

Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced Meuse is facing 12 criminal charges related to the Jan. 24 shooting, including two counts each of murder, attempted murder and armed assault to murder. 

Meuse allegedly shot four people, killing two men: Jalen Pina, 20, of Middleboro and Benjamin Cowart, 27, according to the district attorney’s office. The two other male victims, a 28-year-old and 32-year-old, were transported to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. 

Pina was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. He was later pronounced dead. Cowart was pronounced dead at the scene.

The district attorney’s office stated Meuse was apprehended in the woods near the scene of the shooting at Saint John the Baptist Club — where a child’s birthday party was being held — shortly after the incident. Meuse called police following the incident and told dispatchers he was the shooter.

During interviews with law enforcement, Meuse said he had been invited to the party by a relative, but had pre-existing conflicts with some of the attendees. 

Once he arrived, Meuse said tensions flared up and ultimately led to the shooting. While Meuse claimed to have seen one of the attendees reach for a weapon in their waistband immediately before the shooting, investigators only found a single gun at the scene.

Following the Jan. 27 arraignment in Wareham District Court, Meuse is being held without bail pending a probable cause hearing scheduled for Feb. 25.