By Will Katcher
masslive.com
BROCKTON, Mass. — An hours-long standoff in Brockton between police and a man appearing to wear a Nazi armband ended when the man took his own life, officials believe.
At roughly 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Brockton police received reports of a man with a gun in the area of 62 Taber Ave. When police responded, the man opened fire, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said.
“A Brockton police officer was struck, we believe four times, including in his Kevlar vest,” Cruz said. “That officer was taken to a Boston hospital with what is believed to be non-life threatening wounds.”
The man, who appeared in photos from WCVB to be wearing a red Nazi armband with a swastika, barricaded himself inside 62 Taber Ave., Cruz said. Brockton police contacted the Massachusetts State Police, including the department’s STOP team, a tactical unit.
At roughly 9:30 p.m., after hours of negotiations in the densely-populated neighborhood, the man shot himself outside the home, officials believe. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
Police also found a gunshot victim dead in an SUV nearby the home, Cruz said. Neither of the two men killed were identified.
“Preliminarily, we also believe this is not a random act of violence,” Cruz said. The investigation is ongoing.
https://twitter.com/ZinniaDee_TV/status/1446260796581896194
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured officer, and we are very thankful that he is in Boston Medical Center right now,” Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan told WCVB. “This also shows the serious nature of law enforcement. We have very brave men and women that serve Brockton police every single day.”
©2021 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit masslive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.