BOSTON (WHDH) — Boston police said the shooting at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary on Wednesday happened after inmate Raymond Wallace got out of his restraints while using the bathroom.
Wallace then tried to escape the hospital, he fought with the deputies who brought him there and shot Deputy Jonathan Persson with his own weapon, according to officials. The other deputy shot Wallace several times.
The Middlesex County sheriff said Deputy Persson is recovery. Persson is a 13-year veteran of the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department.
“He was in good spirits. He was joking. He was taking a walk — he actually took a walk today, such is his recovery,” said Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian.
Retired Waltham police officer Kevin O’Connor recalls his own life-and-death struggle with Wallace.
“He tried to get my gun, grabbed on it. I hit him as hard as I could in the head. It didn’t really faze him,” said O’Connor.
Surveillance photos show a heavily-armed Wallace in black ninja gear robbing a Waltham ice cream shop in 2001. O’Connor said Wallace grabbed both his gun and his partner’s when they tried to arrest him. Then his partner shot Wallace.
“Shot him — once in the chest…once in the femoral artery,” said O’Connor.
The struggle was similar to Wednesday’s incident.
“This is a really dangerous person…He’s going to try and do it again and be careful when he’s in jail, all you prison guards out there, because he’ll try and do it again. He’s just that type of guy,” said O’Connor.
For Wednesday’s incident, Wallace is being charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a public employee and escape.
Wallace is expected to survive his injuries. A date for his arraignment has not been set.