|
METHUEN --
Police Chief Joseph Solomon reports that Methuen Police Detectives, while responding
to an apartment complex to question an armed robbery suspect, encountered a
dangerous situation in which the suspect drew a weapon and charged them,
forcing the detectives to draw their service weapons and fire, wounding the
suspect.
Methuen Police
responded at 9:30 a.m. Thursday to the Pleasant Valley Superette, located
on Merrimack Street for a reported robbery at gunpoint.
Police
obtained surveillance footage from the shop showing the tall, white male
suspect, in his 30s, with light hair.
Several
hours later, and after the suspect's picture was posted to the Methuen
Police Department social media channels, the suspect called Methuen Police
and offered to meet officers, asking them to come to his home because he
did not have transportation to come to the station.
At
approximately 8:30 p.m., Methuen Police Detectives arrived at the Summit
Place apartment complex. Upon arrival, the detectives were met by the
suspect who suddenly and without warning drew what appeared to be a black
firearm, pointed it at officers, and began to move toward them rapidly.
Fearing for
their lives and the lives of the many civilians living in this complex,
detectives drew their service weapons and fired at the suspect as he
advanced toward them. The suspect was shot multiple times. Officers
disarmed him and immediately began to render first aid. The suspect was
taken to an area hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life
threatening.
"This
was a very dangerous situation that our officers encountered. Our officers
fell back on their training when faced with a potentially life threatening
situation," Chief Solomon said.
There were a
total of four Detectives involved in the incident. Each of them has
been placed on administrative leave, and their duty weapons have been
secured, as is standard procedure in any police involved shooting.
The incident
is under investigation by Methuen Police and State Police Assigned to the
Essex County District Attorney's Office.
The suspect,
identified as, JAMES
J. DOBBINS, AGE 36, OF METHUEN was later
transferred to a Boston hospital. He is under arrest in his hospital bed,
charged with Armed Robbery While Masked. Additional charges will likely
follow.
###
|
