BOSTON (WHDH) - A 41-year-old Mattapan man who authorities say pointed what appeared to be a weapon at police officers near Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston on Friday was shot and killed by police after leading officers on a car chase into Brookline, officials said.
Boston police officers and Brigham and Women’s security personnel responding to a report of a man with a gun in the area of 60 Fenwood Road around 9:30 a.m. opened fire on a suspect who pulled out what appeared to be a weapon before he fled the scene in a vehicle, according to police.
The suspect, later identified as 41-year-old Juston Root, of Mattapan, crashed after hitting multiple vehicles near the Brookline/Newton line, where he was shot and killed by police near the intersection of Hammond Street and Route 9.
Later, investigators found a 49-year-old man who worked as a valet at the hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. He is currently in stable but critical condition.
Route 9 was temporarily closed as officers gathered evidence in their investigation. It reopened just before 6 p.m.
Justin Heitmann, who was waiting for an appointment in the hospital, said he pulled out his phone and recorded a video that showed several Boston police officers gathered around a limping man who climbed into a car and sped off.
“I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop’ and I immediately turned and saw what appeared to be a guy in the street. That’s when I started filming,” Heitmann told 7NEWS. “I caught the suspect limping back to his car, getting into his car, and driving away. It sounded like he got out of his car, shot his gun, and the police fired back. It feels like they shot him in the leg at the very least.”
Heitmann said frantic motorists tried to drive around the scene when officers drew their guns and pointed them at the suspect.
“I thought I was going to watch a man die,” Heitmann added.
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