In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 11th, 2025, a triple shooting occurred at the Morna Lounge and Grill on Acushnet Ave in the city’s north end. Two females and one male were shot. The male, Cristiano Macedo, 27, of New Bedford, tragically did not survive.
Danielson Varela, 19, of New Bedford, was arrested Sunday night in Boston, roughly an hour from the city.
He was arraigned in New Bedford District Court on the following charges:
- First-degree murder
- Unlawful possession of a firearm
- Carrying a loaded firearm
- Assault and battery with a firearm (2 counts)
The bar, Morna Lounge and Grill, located at 1613-1621 Acushnet Ave in New Bedford, has had a history of troubling disturbances.
This includes a 2022 stabbing of up-and-coming boxer Wilson Mascarenhas, as well as two 2024 shootings directly outside the establishment. One of those shootings resulted in the death of 44 year old Aaron Britto.
According to a press release from New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira, Morna Lounge and Grill has been ordered to cease operations immediately. The bar, which has been in operation for four years, has faced hearings with the licensing board five times in connection with 13 separate incidents. Alarmingly, one of the female shooting victims was only 19 years old and shouldn’t have been allowed inside the bar. The same applies to the shooter, Danielson Varela, who, according to Chief Oliveira, was allowed into the bar twice on the same night by “security”.
It has also come to light that Varela had a previous shooting case in New Bedford from February 2024 that was dismissed. He was accused of firing a gun in the parking lot of a convenience store on Brock Avenue in the south end. I’m unsure on the reasons for the dismissal, but will reach out to the Bristol County DA’s office for comment. Varela was also charged with malicious destruction of property in October 2023. It’s possible one life could’ve been spared if the 2024 shooting charges had been upheld.
Rumors about the motive for the recent shooting include a dispute over a girl or potential gang motives. Sources and social media images suggest Varela is associated with New Bedford’s south end, this area has a long history with gangs. Not much is known about the murder victim publicly, Cristiano Macedo, but social media posts paint a picture of a humorous young man whose life was tragically cut short at just 27 years old.
This incident should serve as a reminder to young men and women: do not associate with gangs or those involved in gang activity. If you’re not of legal age to be in a bar, you have no business being there. At 19 years old, nothing good can come from such circumstances. In this case, four lives were irrevocably altered in a single night.
Two women endured a traumatic event they will carry with them for a long time. Varela, a father to a young daughter, will now only see her during visits to a Massachusetts state correctional facility. And Cristiano Macedo lost his life over what was likely something entirely meaningless.
As a community, we need to do better. This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to prioritize guiding young people toward better choices. Violence leaves only devastation, and it is time to break this cycle.
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