DA: Man shot by Wakefield police facing charges in mother’s death

WAKEFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) -

A man who was shot by police after he charged at officers with a knife in a home in Wakefield on Tuesday is facing charges in connection with the death of his mother, officials said.

Officers conducting a well-being check at a home at 11 Otis St. just before 10 a.m. found 61-year-old Pamela Wood dead in the basement, Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan and Wakefield Police Chief Steven A. Skory said during a news conference.

Wood, a speech therapist at the Greenwood Elementary School, had suffered “multiple traumatic injuries” prior to her death and was “obviously deceased,” Ryan said. Some of her wounds were “consistent with a knife.”

Wood was reportedly last in contact with family on Sunday.

The victim’s 23-year-old son, Timothy Martin, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was shot by police when he suddenly emerged from a corner of the basement and charged at the officers with a knife over his head, officials said.

“The suspect refused to put down the knife at their command. Two Wakefield officers discharged their weapons, striking Mr. Martin,” Ryan said. “There was no expectation that anybody else would be there.”

Martin was taken to Lahey Hospital in Burlington. He has since undergone surgery and remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit.

He’s expected to face a slew of charges in connection with his mother’s death and could be arraigned from his hospital bed as early as Wednesday.

Five Wakefield officers were also taken to the hospital to be evaluated for stress.

A preliminary investigation suggests that when Wood failed to show up for a scheduled 8:30 a.m. appointment at the school, officials notified her family. Firefighters were later called upon to gain access to the home because family members did not have a key.

Skory called the incident “isolated” and said there is no threat to the community.

The two officers who fired at Martin will be placed on paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation, according to Skory.

“Today we were devastated to learn of the sudden loss of one of our colleagues, Pamela Wood. Pam was a beloved staff member at the Greenwood School and Doyle Early Childhood Center and a vibrant and integral part of the Wakefield Public Schools Community,” Superintendent Douglas Lyons said in a statement. “Pam worked with many students and families over the years in her role as a Speech and Language Pathologist. She will be missed by students, families, and staff alike. Our hearts go out to her family during this tremendously difficult time.”

The school is working to put counseling services in place for students and staff available on Thursday and Friday.

State troopers assigned to Ryan’s office are assisting Wakefield police with an investigation.

This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS for updates online and on-air.

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