I-Team: Suspect Shot, Killed By Police In Chestnut Hill Identified As Mattapan Man
BOSTON (CBS) – Sources tell the WBZ I-Team the suspect involved in the shooting outside Brigham & Women's Hospital is 41-year-old Juston Root of Mattapan. He was shot and killed by police after a car chase ended in Chestnut Hill.
The I-Team has learned Root had a history of mental health and substance abuse issues. He was charged in 2013 with assaulting police officers after claiming he was military special operations.
The Mattapan man also had a number of aliases on social media and talked a lot about police in his videos.
Police said Root had what appeared to be a gun and was shot and killed by officers.
"I knew that he had a BB gun and it had marbles in it and he used to say 'Look I just lost all my marbles' when he would shoot it," neighbor Gina Quimby told WBZ. "But I did not know that he actually had a weapon."
On Friday afternoon, police detectives were outside Root's Mattapan home. Sources say they were waiting for a search warrant.
"It's just very sad. I hope that everybody looks at this and realizes that he didn't intentionally mean to hurt anyone," Quimby said. "He was convinced in his own head that he worked for the government or that he was a higher power."
#Sources say this was 41 year old Juston Root the suspect in the police involved shooting this morning. The ITeam learning he has a history of mental illness. #WBZ pic.twitter.com/9q1XT91X73
— Cheryl Fiandaca (@CherylFiandaca) February 7, 2020
Boston Police initially responded to a 911 call for a person with a gun at 60 Fenwood Road around 9:20 a.m. Friday. Police said the suspect pulled out what appeared to be a firearm and pointed it directly at officers. He then allegedly assaulted an officer and fled in a car towards Chestnut Hill on Route 9.
Root's family told WBZ when they saw him two weeks ago he did not appear to be well. Police say their investigation into whether Root had a gun during the incident Friday and what type of gun he may have had is ongoing.