Man accused of shooting 2 relatives was shot, bit by police dog before arrest ended 13-hour standoff

Numerous police officers, the fire department, paramedics, a hostage negotiation team, SWAT team, K9 unit, drone operators, and a mobile crisis mental health clinician all responded to a home in Worcester, Massachusetts, Friday morning after a 24-year-old man allegedly shot two family members and fired at police officers before barricading himself inside for hours.

The standoff, which caused streets to be blocked off and neighbors to be evacuated, lasted more than 13 hours and ended with the man in custody.

Worcester police said they received a call from a family member reporting the domestic incident at a Colby Ave. home around 8:38 a.m. According to Lt. Sean Murtha, the two victims had gone to the hospital right before officers arrived. One suffered fairly serious injuries but both are expected to survive. Police have only been identified them as a man and a woman.

The suspect, who was outside the residence when officers arrived, appeared to be carrying a gun and was ordered to get on the ground, police said. He initially complied before jumping up, firing at officers, and running inside the house, according to police.

Law enforcement on scene confirmed no one else was inside the home and set up a perimeter outside that was maintained by the SWAT team. Neighbors in nearby houses were evacuated and others were notified of the situation through a reverse 911 call, police said.

For the next approximately 13 hours, hostage negotiators continually attempted to make contact with the man inside, trying to persuade him to come out of the home.

Lt. Murtha described it as a very long, drawn out situation, saying the man was generally not answering calls from officials, who were utilizing all resources in an attempt to get him out of the house peacefully. This included being in touch with family members, using a drone to provide valuable aerial video, and live streaming officers' body cameras to provide different angles.

During this extended time, Worcester police say the man came out and fired his handgun at officers multiple times. Officers did return gunfire. Lt. Murtha said he believes the man was struck in the shoulder. No police officers were injured.

Finally, around 9:30 p.m., the man took a step out of the back of the home, at which point he was taken into custody with assistance from the K9 unit. Lt. Murtha said the man resisted arrest somewhat, saying he was striking the police dog, K9 Beebs, during the process of being arrested.

The man's injuries included a dog bite and a gunshot wound, the lieutenant said Saturday. He was treated by paramedics, who had been on standby for hours. Lt. Murtha said he could not thank Worcester Fire and Worcester EMS enough for their tremendous help.

The man was taken away from the scene in an ambulance to a local hospital for more treatment, and he is expected to be survive, police said.

According to Lt. Murtha, the man is generally not well-known by police.

A close friend and high school classmate of the suspect told NBC10 Boston, "You never thought this person would do something like this, you know? But this morning he wake up and just snapped out of it.”

“He’s not a bad kid," Abdul Adam added. "He probably does have a couple of speeding tickets, that’s it, but my boy doesn’t have a bad record, none of that. He don’t gang bang, he don’t do nothing like that.”

Police wouldn't get into motive Saturday or name the suspect, citing the nature of the incident, however Lt. Murtha said he believes there was some kind of dispute that led to the shooting. He also said he suspects mental health played a role but couldn't confirm that at this time.

The suspect will be facing many serious charges, police said, including multiple counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder. Lt. Murtha said the man did not have a license for the gun, and his arraignment is likely Monday.

It will take a few days to process the crime scene, Lt. Murtha noted, adding that there will be a lengthy investigation that includes analyzing dozens of hours of video.

"A lot more we'll find out," he said.

Meanwhile, police say they are grateful for all of the support they received, including from neighbors in the area who let officers use their bathrooms and gave them drinks, calling them a "big help."

Police had asked people to avoid the area Friday until the incident was resolved, later saying everyone was free to return.

“I would like to thank CEMLEC, Auburn PD, Fire Department, Worcester EMS, who all provided crucial assistance to our officers during this lengthy incident. In addition, the neighbors were very helpful to everyone on scene and we appreciate their patience and help,” said Chief Steven Sargent. “Our officers train very hard to prepare for these types of critical incidents, and I am proud of the courage, restraint, and professionalism they showed.”

“I am extremely proud of the men and women of the Worcester Police Department. We never want to see incidents like this occur but when they do it’s critical that we have public safety officials that are trained and ready to respond,” said City Manager Eric Batista. “I am grateful for the assistance of the Mobile Community Crisis Response field clinicians who were on hand to assist and look forward to continuing to respond to our community’s needs together.”