Salem Ex-Con Charged in Hospital Shooting, Expected to Survive

By Bret Silverberg

Career criminal Raymond Wallace, the former Salem man accused of shooting a deputy with his own gun at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, faces charges in the Wednesday incident.

Wallace is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a public employee, and escape, according to a Boston Municipal Court complaint.

Wallace, 36, while in the custody of two Middlesex County deputy sheriffs, allegedly tried to take possession of one of the deputy's service weapons while detained on Essex County offenses Wednesday, according to a statement from Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley's office. He previously had a Salem addressed, though authorities refer to him as a North Billerica man.

He is expected to survive his injuries, but will not likely be arraigned Thursday, according to the statement.

Regular readers of Salem Patch might recognize Wallace. He is accused of donning a mask like this ones from the movie "The Town" and robbing the PetsMart on Highland Avenue, then setting his get-away car on fire. He's also suspected in a hold-up of the now-closed Borders Books just over the Salem line in Peabody.

Members of the Salem PD will certainly recognize him. Several officers received commendations for capturing him after the PetsMart robbery. Authorities also say they found a cache of weapons linked to Wallace in a pair of speakers that wound up in North Andover after a trash company cleaned out Wallace's former Courageous Court apartment.