KINGSTON, MASS. (WHDH) – Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting outside a shopping center in Kingston early Tuesday morning that left a suspect hospitalized.
Two officers responding to a 911 call from a security guard patrolling the Kingston Collection around 2:45 a.m. found a 25-year-old man “acting threatening and erratically,” according to Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, allegedly threatened the officers with a large knife in a sheath on his hip and an officer fired their weapon, striking him once in the shoulder, according to Kingston police.
“I think the police officers did a variety of things in order to try to quell the situation,” Cruz said.
The man, who was later identified as Alexander Bakutis of Plymouth, was taken to Boston Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
One officer was also hospitalized out of an abundance of caution.
“It’s an unfortunate event,” Cruz said. “Obviously, police officers nowadays have very challenging decisions that they make and now we’re going to do our investigation, do our job and see where that takes us.”
Video from the scene showed a machete, a bottle of alcohol, and a stun gun on the ground in the parking lot.
Evidence has been collected at the scene and an investigation remains ongoing.
Bakutis has been charged with three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and is expected to virtually face a judge in Plymouth District Court on Wednesday.
Cruz’s office will determine whether the shooting was justified.
The officer, a 15-year-veteran on the force will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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