Suspect Shot by Boston Officer After Stabbing
A Boston police officer shot a suspect late Thursday night in Dorchester after the man stabbed him with a wooden stake, according to police.
The suspect, 22-year-old Edwin Guity of Dorchester, is in critical condition after the officer shot him in the leg, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said in a Friday press conference.
Boston police received multiple calls from individuals in the Howe Terrace area of Dorchester around 11:15 p.m. Thursday about a man assaulting people in the streets. Officers arrived on scene around 11:30 p.m., and Guity initially ran away but then turned toward the officers, police said.
According to police, the officers instructed Guity to drop his weapon, which Evans described as similar to the wooden stakes city officials have been putting out in the snow.
Guity raised the stake above his head and lunged at the officer, according to Evans, striking him in the lower abdomen. The stake penetrated the officer’s jacket but did not go through his ballistics vest, Evans said.
He said that the officer had no other choice but to fire and discharged one round, striking the Guity in the right leg.
Evans said Guity is a “violent individual’’ who was known to police after numerous calls over the past several years concerning assault and disturbances.
The injured officer and one other, who Evans said may have been experiencing stress after the incident, were taken to Tufts Medical Center. They have been treated and released, he said.
Evans said that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office is involved in the active investigation.
He said the officer has been on the force for 10 years with no prior use of force. He hopes to release the officer’s name soon, but asks for time to let the officer calm down after the “traumatic event’’ of firing his gun.
Evans said that based on multiple witness accounts and a preliminary investigation, the officer acted properly.
“The choice to discharge a weapon is never easy,’’ he said. “It’s one of the toughest decisions we ever make.’’
The police department is still seeking more information, and Evans encouraged anyone who has seen something to let them know.
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