By Gayla Cawley
Boston Herald
BOSTON — Boston police are investigating after a man grabbed a detail officer’s gun and shot himself in a “high-profile area” near Massachusetts General Hospital on Cambridge Street , BPD Commissioner Michael Cox said.
Cox said the man suffered non-life threatening injuries after a single shot. He said the man was suffering mental health issues at the time of the incident, which occurred at about 8:42 a.m. Tuesday in the area of 265 Cambridge St.
The police commissioner said the man “somehow attacked the officer” before he was, “in some way, shape or form,” able to get ahold of the gun. When the man shot himself, the bullet struck his foot, Cox said.
Cox said the man was arrested and was being treated at an area hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Additional detail officers and members of the public came to the officer’s assistance, Cox said.
“We are very thankful for the bystanders at any time that they want to get involved to help us. We appreciate it tremendously, as well as the heroic actions of the other detail officers,” Cox said. “These are life-threatening situations when you have firearms involved, particularly when they’re in the hands of someone that doesn’t necessarily know what they’re doing. It was a very scary situation.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden also responded to the Tuesday morning event.
“Our office responded to the Cambridge Street shooting scene this morning. As with all discharges involving an officer weapon we will conduct a thorough investigation,” Hayden said in a statement.
“We are thankful that the Boston Police officers on scene contained the situation so that it resulted in no injuries to themselves or members of the public and apparent minimal injury to the suspect involved.”
Cox said he was grateful for the help from the members of the public, and that there was no loss of life in the incident. The incident is under investigation because a department firearm was involved, he said.
He said some of the officers, including the officer who “grappled” with the man, were taken to the hospital for observation, and that he was told all were doing well.
Eddy Rivera, a Cambridge resident who was working at a nearby restaurant, told WHDH-TV and other reporters that he was one of the bystanders who helped to subdue the man. He heard the gunshot, immediately ran over to help, and noticed an officer in distress, he said.
“I heard a gunshot,” Rivera said. “Cops were across the street and they were yelling out for help so I ran across the street and I jumped on the guy, straddled his chest and then I grabbed his arm.”
Rivera said the man appeared to be a “little disoriented” and “mentally unstable,” and that the broad-daylight gunfire left people in the area “rattled.”
“I heard distress so I thought I’d lend some assistance,” Rivera said.
Photos from the scene showed police tape blocking off areas of Cambridge Street, which was partially closed down for hours after the shooting.
The incident occurred shortly before Mayor Michelle Wu convened a press conference with the Boston Police Department and community leaders in Dorchester to roll out the city’s summer safety plan.
The mayor said the incident highlights the dangers the city’s police officers face every day and thanked the police for “their vigilance, 24 hours a day.”
“We’re here to talk about safety and a particular set of efforts that the city’s been leading all year round,” Wu said. “But as you can see by how we started off today, there’s always something that pops up, and the job of our officers — whether they’re officially on duty or they’re working a detail or they are even just sometimes off duty with their families — is a constant call. So I just want to thank them again for everything.”
This article, originally published on May 27, was updated on May 28 with information surrounding the case.
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