DA Identifies Lynn Robbery Suspect Shot And Killed By Police
LYNN (CBS) – The Lynn robbery suspect shot and killed by police early Tuesday morning has been identified as a 41-year-old Malden man.
The Essex District Attorney's office said Michael McInnis robbed the Gulf gas station at the corner of Lynnway and Commercial Street just before 4 a.m., getting away with $150.
Police say McInnis claimed he had a gun and ended up in a violent struggle with the clerk. The suspect left the store and went up the Lynnway as the clerk called 911.
This is the gas station that #Lynn police say a suspect tried to rob--saying he had a gun, then struggling with the clerk. #WBZ pic.twitter.com/0dLxac1DZN
— Nicole Jacobs (@NicoleJacobsTV) November 29, 2016
Police found McInnis moments later outside Lancelot Cleaning Supplies at 451 Lynnway.
"The individual had his hands in his pockets. The officers ordered him to show his hands (he) refused to do so, continued to come at the officers, they moved back, tried to create distance, eventually one of the officers fired his weapon, hitting the individual," Lynn Police Chief Kevin Coppinger said.
One of the officers fired his gun twice, hitting McInnis in the upper torso.
McInnis was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was moved into surgery and later died.
No officers were hurt. The chief said the clerk was shaken up, but okay. The officer who shot the man has not been identified.
The Essex District Attorney said McInnis has an "extensive" criminal record. Surveillance video from 2010 shows McInnis strong arming and robbing a store clerk in Malden.
On Tuesday night there was no shortage of opinion at the gas station the now dead suspect allegedly robbed.
"Honestly I think the Lynn Police shoot first and ask questions later," said one woman.
But another man had a different take. "If someone is asking you to take their hands out of their pockets then you should probably take your hands out but you don't know the mental state of the person."
Another reflected the shock some feel in the neighborhood. "It just makes it hard, hard to believe that someone could get shot in your own city like that."
The Lynnway was shut down from Commercial to Shepard Street in both directions for several hours as State Police processed the crime scene, snarling traffic during the morning commute.
UPDATE: second lane now open on SB #Lynnway. Traffic very slow through area. One man says it took him nearly 2 hours from #Swampscott #wbz pic.twitter.com/MvyJkGrcR5
— Ben Parker (@radiobenparker) November 29, 2016
All lanes were reopened by around 9:30 a.m.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports