An 18-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old student at Salem State University Wednesday, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office said.
Missael Pena Canela, of Salem, was arrested the evening of Nov. 1 in connection with the shooting death of Carl-Hens Beliard.
The student-athlete was found with gunshot wounds inside a car near 22 Forest Ave. shortly before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, the district attorney’s office said.
The area where the shooting occurred is adjacent to Salem State University. Beliard was brought to Salem Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to officials.
Authorities believe the shooting was not a random act. Canela will be arraigned on Thursday at Salem District Court Thursday, the office said. Meanwhile, the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Beliard played high school varsity basketball and was on the football team in 2021, according to his Hudl pages and those who remembered his talent — especially on the basketball court. He was a first-year varsity player with the college’s basketball team and was living on campus studying sport and movement science.
During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Worcester’s North High School boys basketball coach Al Pettway praised Beliard, who was a former player, student and 2023 graduate.
“He was a great kid, a smart, smart student,” Pettway said. “He had a smile that would just brighten up every room when he opened his mouth. We lost a really, really good one today.”
Pettway, who is also the dean of students, said Beliard was the only senior on the team last year. He was “a great student” who always showed up to practice and games with a positive attitude, was ambitious and would go out to eat or play basketball with teammates outside of the gym.
“We’re like a family,” Pettway continued. “We fight like a family, we stick together like a family. That’s what we were. So, our kids really had a difficult time with hearing the news of the passing of Carl today.”
Beliard applied to multiple schools and ultimately chose to go to Salem State University, which he told Pettway over the phone in excitement. The last time the two spoke was last month, the coach said.
“He had a bright future and it was cut short, unfortunately,” Pettway added. Learning about Beliard’s death, the coach said he felt “pretty numb. Numb.”
