BOSTON (WHDH) - Three police officers were injured while trying to take a robbery suspect into custody in Boston on Sunday afternoon.
Officers responding to a reported robbery in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard around 3:15 p.m. found a woman who said that a suspect had approached her and taken several pieces of her property before spitting on her and fleeing on foot, according to Boston police.
She was not injured during the incident and refused medical attention at the scene, police said.
Officers soon located the suspect, later identified as Marshall Burton, 38, of Boston, walking quickly near Southampton Street with his hands concealed in his pockets, police added.
Burton refused to comply with the officer’s verbal commands to stop and show his hands but then quickly turned around, pointing his hands at the officers and making a gesture as if to imply he was shooting at them, according to police.
As the officers approach Burton, he allegedly began to throw numerous items toward them.
A violent struggle ensued when the officers attempted to gain control of Burton, leading one of the officers to deploy his department-issued OC spray, police said.
Burton was eventually placed in custody with the assistance of additional responding units.
Officers reportedly recovered a number of items that belonged to the woman.
One of the three arresting officers suffered an arm injury, and all three suffered exposure from the OC spray to their face.
Police later determined that Burton was wanted on three separate straight warrants out of Boston Municipal Court, including two warrants for breaking and entering nighttime for felony and trespassing, and one for breaking and entering daytime for felony and trespassing, police said.
Burton is slated to appear in Roxbury District Court on charges of unarmed robbery, unarmed assault with intent to rob, receiving stolen property, three counts of assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace.
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