Boston Police Officer Shot Several Times In Roxbury, Suspect Dead
BOSTON (CBS) – A Boston Police Officer was shot and wounded in Roxbury early Friday morning. The suspect, who has been identified by sources as 36-year-old Kasim Kahrim, is dead.
Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said two uniformed officers in a marked car pulled over an SUV on Gerard Street in Roxbury at 2:21 a.m. when a man in the vehicle started firing. One officer was hit several times in the "upper torso," Gross said, as gunfire was exchanged. The second officer was not hurt.
Sources said the officer was hit in the left bicep and twice in the right hand.
The SUV took off and was found crashed a short time later on George Street. "We located the suspect inside of the motor vehicle, he's a male in his mid-to-late 30's. Unfortunately, he was pronounced deceased on scene," said Gross.
"There wasn't a second exchange of gunfire at the second location," the commissioner told reporters. A gun was found inside the SUV though, police said, and there were bullet holes in the windshield.
A woman living on George Street said she woke to the sound of something crashing into her car and called police.
"It didn't sound like a normal crash, it was a big boom," she said. "During the call, we discovered the shots in the window and we stopped one of the officers that was zooming up and down the street."
The wounded officer, who has not been identified, was taken to Boston Medical Center for treatment. Gross said the officer has been on the force just one-to-two years. Police said the injuries are not life-threatening.
"We'd like to thank the doctors, the nurses, and EMS for their quick response in aiding our Boston police officers," said Gross.
The suspected gunman, Kasim Kahrim, was released from jail in December of 2018 and was out on probation.
It's still not clear yet why officers pulled over the SUV before the shooting started. It was towed away from George Street around 6 a.m. A woman who lives on the street said she was woken up by a crash and that's when she found her new Mercedes-Benz damaged.
"We just called 911, we thought it was an accident," the woman, who did not want to be named, told WBZ-TV. "During the call, we discovered the shots on the window."
"We stopped one of the officers that was zooming up and down the street, and that's when they approached the car," she said.
"If anyone has any information, please contact us at 1-800-494-TIPS. We are actively canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses, video, and anything that can help in this investigation," Gross said.
Residents on George Street told WBZ-TV they frequently call the police to the neighborhood. "It's very dangerous. If an officer can get hit, we are nothing," one man said.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins also released a statement about the shooting Friday: ""Any loss of life is tragic and this morning's events on Gerard Street are no exception. I want to express my relief that the injured officer is expected to survive. I hope for his full recovery, and my thoughts are with his family at home and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement. I also want to express my deep sadness and sympathies for the family and loved ones of the man whose life was lost. They, too, are undoubtedly in shock at circumstances beyond their control. . . I want to assure the people of Boston and Suffolk County that I will be conducting an independent investigation into this incident and it will be full, fair, thorough, and impartial."
