DA: Boston Police were justified in opening fire outside Brigham and Women's Hospital
BOSTON - The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office is out with its report on whether police were justified in opening fire outside Brigham and Women's hospital in February 2020.
At that time, officers responded to the hospital for reports of a man with a gun. Suspect Juston Root pointed a replica gun at an officer and two officers fired. Neither bullet struck the suspect, but one hit a hospital valet in the head.
The DA ruled that the Boston officers were justified in opening fire and should face no criminal charges.
Root was later shot and killed after a car chase ending in Brookline. Root was able to get into his car and drive off, sparking a chase that ended along Route 9 in Chestnut Hill where Root's car was involved in a crash.
After the chase and crash, police said officers again demanded that Root drop what they believed was a gun. Then they opened fire.
Root's family has argued he was clutching his chest in a semi-comatose state after the crash and had nothing in his hands when he was shot by officers.