Hourslong standoff in Walpole ends with arrest of Boston murder suspect

WALPOLE, MASS. (WHDH) - An overnight standoff in Walpole ended with the arrest of a man wanted in connection with a Boston murder.

SWAT teams descended on a Walpole apartment as officers searched for Kyle Williams-Gathers, 31, of Boston, who is accused of murdering 21-year-old Shaquille Browder on Jan. 11.

“There was some violence involved in that. I won’t elaborate on that, but that’s what led to the heavy police presence,” explained Chief John Carmichael of the Walpole Police Department. “Obviously, he was a danger to everyone in the apartment complex including the police officers on scene.”

Carmichael told 7News that Williams-Gathers barricaded himself inside an ex-girlfriend’s apartment, where he had been under surveillance for awhile.

“We were able to remove a female from the apartment and get her to safety,” said Carmichael.

Walpole police said the back-and-forth with the 31-year-old suspect went for about five hours as they talked to him on a cell phone. At one point, officers used a robot to look inside.

“He did start to surrender several times, but had second thoughts and barricaded himself again,” said Carmichael.

Eventually, the Williams-Gathers did come out and surrendered to police.

The suspect’s mother came to the scene, wondering what was happening.

“Here I am, in Walpole. I’m from Dorchester. To get a call that there are helicopters around for my little son, SWAT team, they got bullet proof vests,” said Cassandra Williams.

No injuries resulted from the standoff, according to officials.

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