Crime

Boston police: Naked man carrying ‘large knife’ shot by officers after Beacon Hill break-in

The early morning incident happened on Mount Vernon Street, where the upscale restaurant 1928 Beacon Hill is located.

The scene on Mount Vernon Street Wednesday morning. Truman Dickerson for The Boston Globe

A naked man allegedly wielding a large knife was shot by Boston police officers responding to a reported break-in in Beacon Hill Wednesday, authorities confirmed. 

Boston Police Supt. Paul McLaughlin said the incident happened shortly before 6 a.m., when officers were dispatched to 97 Mount Vernon St. after a 911 caller reported a breaking and entering in progress. The address is home to the upscale restaurant 1928 Beacon Hill

“On arrival, officers encountered a male suspect in a rear alley, armed with a large knife,” McLaughlin told reporters, per video from WCVB. He said an officer discharged his taser and struck the man in an attempt to subdue him, but “to no avail.”

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The officers then shot the man using their department-issued firearms, giving him first aid at the scene before he was taken to a local hospital. According to McLaughlin, the man suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, and the three officers involved in the incident were taken to a hospital for evaluation. 

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The injured man’s name and age were not immediately available Wednesday morning. While McLaughlin confirmed the man was unclothed at the time, he said authorities are still looking into the suspect’s purported intentions. 

“Exactly what the motive behind what he was doing, we don’t know and we hope to find out through the early parts of the investigation,” McLaughlin said. He told reporters there were “definitely indications” that the man had made it inside the property. 

“Still very early as to exactly how he got in, what damage he might have caused,” McLaughlin added. 

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He said the investigation is active and ongoing. 

“We are asking anyone in this area that may have information relative to what happened — any video, anything that they might be able to add to this investigation — to contact the Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470, or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS,” McLaughlin added. 

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Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.

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