Several Taunton, Massachusetts, police officers were recovering Wednesday after a pursuit and confrontation Tuesday evening with a knife-wielding man.
One officer was stabbed multiple times by the suspect, Taunton Police Chief Edward Walsh said, and four others were hurt — including Chief Walsh. The suspect was identified by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday morning as Douglas Hagerty, 35, of Taunton.
Hagerty appeared in Taunton District Court for an arraignment on Wednesday morning, facing three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of assaults with a dangerous weapon, two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle and one count each of each of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, armed assault with intent to murder, resisting arrest, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and failure to stop for police.
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He pleaded not guilty, and a judge ordered him held without bail.
“When our police officers are injured and hurt, that affects the whole entire department," Taunton Mayor Shauna O'Connell said. "It affects this whole, entire community, and we stand by our law enforcement officers. They did an excellent job tonight, we are grateful for their service to this community.”
Taunton police said this chaotic situation all unfolded in a span of about 15 minutes Tuesday night.
The chief said his officers were performing an unrelated traffic stop on County Street at about 6:45 p.m., when a driver pulled over, got out of his car, and allegedly started yelling at them and threatening them.
They told him to leave, and he did.
A short time later, though, authorities said that same driver was pulled over by a different officer for erratic driving – and when the officer approached his Honda Accord, he took off, nearly striking the officer.
At that point, Taunton police said they pursued the Honda for a short time before it crashed into what police believe is the driver’s home on West Britannia Street.
That’s when investigators say the driver ran into the multi-family home, grabbed a knife, and allegedly slashed or stabbed five officers trying to arrest him, before he was tased and taken into custody.
One officer sustained serious stab wounds to his face and the back of his head and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. Even Taunton Police Chief Edward Walsh, who responded from his home nearby, was stabbed in the torso.
The four other officers stabbed or slashed – including the chief – were also treated for their wounds.
“A lot of the officers were shaken up by this especially the injuries, based on the injuries they saw of their coworkers, so we’re dealing with it right now, we’re trying to deal with it right now with their mental health as well," Chief Walsh said.
The suspect has not yet been publicly identified.
His family told NBC10 Boston he has mental health issues. He’s expected to face several felony charges, but it’s unclear when he will be arraigned.
