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BOSTON (WHDH) - Officials said an off-duty police officer fatally shot a knife-wielding man inside a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Boston Saturday afternoon.
Officers responding to the reported shooting at the Boylston Street fast food restaurant around 5:30 p.m. found the man suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound, according to Boston police.
The off-duty officer who shot the man said the man had been chasing two people inside the restaurant with a knife and did not comply with orders to drop the weapon after he identified himself as a police officer, officials said.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released.
A woman who said she was in the restaurant at the time of the shooting said, “someone screamed and then we heard four or five shots and then everyone started panicking.”
In a statement, the Boston Police Detectives Union said of the incident, “It’s a testament that your officers have to your beloved city and a reminder that they are never truly ‘off-duty.'”
Speaking at the scene, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said, “This is a tragic incident, we don’t look for loss of life, so condolences go to the individual who was killed tonight, we are proud of the police officers who activate themselves, whether they’re on-duty or off-duty, to save lives.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said, “My condolences and my thoughts are with the individual whose life has been lost and I’m also thinking of all of the people who were impacted here today in one of the busier parts of the city with this tragedy. I’m glad that the officer is safe and I’m very grateful for a quick response from all of our first responders.”
The Suffolk District Attorney’s Office is urging anyone with information to assist with the investigation.
No additional information was immediately available.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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