Officers Show 'Incredible Restraint' When Suspect Points Replica Gun
BOSTON (CBS) - Mayor Marty Walsh is praising two officers for an incident in Dorchester that could have turned into a deadly force situation.
"Our police department showed incredible restraint," Mayor Walsh said.
At the time, officers had no idea that a realistic looking handgun being pointed at them, was a replica.
Boston Police officers responded to the incident after getting a call on Monday night around midnight for a man with a gun at 16 Howe Street. When they arrived, they found a man sitting in a chair pointing a gun at them, yelling anti police statements. Police drew their weapons but never fired.
"It's a dangerous job, and I'm grateful those officers were able to disarm the gentleman without having to use excessive force and clearly this situation could have been one of those situations," said Mayor Walsh.
The 53-year-old man police arrested was also carrying nunchucks, which is considered a dangerous weapon.
Police say even as the man was being booked, he continued to threaten officers saying he would blow up their houses, and shoot other officers.
Dorchester native, Anildo Silva, was appalled when he heard this.
"We have to respect police officers because we don't survive without them," Silva said. "We have to respect the law and violence doesn't resolve violence."
Police Commissioner William Evans released a statement saying:
"This is what police are faced with on a daily basis. Again, these officers used incredible restraint when faced with threats and a very real-looking replica revolver. These are troubling times, and I'm thankful everyone involved in this incident is going home safe, especially my officers."
The man faces several charges including assault by means of a dangerous weapon and resisting arrest.