SALEM – Esssex County District Attorney Paul Tucker announced on Wednesday night that a suspect was arrested Wednesday evening in the death of a member of last year’s North High Polar Bears state champion basketball team.
Carl-Hens Beliard died after being shot near the campus of Salem State University in the early morning hours on Wednesday. Missael Pena Canela, 18, of Salem, was arrested on Wednesday night and charged with murder. He will be arraigned on Thursday.
Carl-Hens Beliard, 18, was attending Salem state after his championship senior year at North High School in Worcester last year. His first game with his Salem State teammates was schedule for Nov. 8.
Beliard was the lone senior on the Division One State Champion North High Polar Bears last year.
Police in Salem responded to a report of a shooting around 1:30 AM on Wednesday. Police found Beliard in a car suffering from gunshot wounds. Beliard was rushed to Salem Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
On behalf of the City of Worcester, I am heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of 18-year-old Carl Hens Beliard, a North High School graduate and student at Salem State University. Carl was a member of the 2023 State Championship winning basketball team, Carl was a… pic.twitter.com/XXau726Zq6
— Joe Petty (@MayorJoePetty) November 1, 2023
Please hold Carl Hens Beliard’s family:friends/classmates/teammates/the NHS family in your mind, hearts, & prayers as he is grieved. Carl was a good young man of great character;humble, patient, uplifting, kind, & polite who simply loved the game of basketball.🙏🏾Rest in Peace 🙏🏾
— CTE Khrystian King 4 Mayor (@King4Worcester) November 1, 2023
There are no words to describe the grief and emptiness we are left with following the devastating loss of North High alum Carl-Hens Beliard. I ask for the privacy of his family, friends & the North High community as they mourn his loss. May they find comfort amongst one and other
— CM-Batista (@CM_Batista) November 1, 2023
My heart breaks about this news! A son, brother, a star from our very own Worcester Public Schools, North High Basketball champ! No parent should have to go through such devastating heart break.
Pray for our youth. Please keep the family and friends of Carl in your prayers.
🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/NVhvpnI0O6— Jermoh Kamara, MPH, CHES (@Jermoh4WPS) November 1, 2023
