DA: JP shooting shows ‘menace’ of weapons
‘This was an incredibly dangerous situation and it again points to the menace posed by so many guns on our streets. I’m thankful that no officers or pedestrians were killed or injured.’ KEVIN HAYDEN Suffolk District Attorney
The man shot by police in an exchange of gunfire following an attempted traffic stop in Jamaica Plain early Thursday morning — a situation emblematic of the “menace” of guns on the city’s streets, the DA says — remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
The suspect was identified by the Suffolk District Attorney’s office as Jeff Anilus, 31, of Randolph.
“This was an incredibly dangerous situation and it again points to the menace posed by so many guns on our streets. I’m thankful that no officers or pedestrians were killed or injured,” Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden said Thursday afternoon.
“My office will conduct a thorough and careful investigation of this incident, as we do with every officerinvolved shooting,” he continued. “We’re collecting all of the pertinent information and we will review it thoroughly.”
Hayden said the suspect will be arraigned “when deemed medically appropriate.”
Boston police attempted a traffic stop in the area of Lemuel Shattuck Hospital on Morton Street, Boston Police Superintendent Gregory Long said to media at the scene shortly before 4 a.m. He added that a “short foot pursuit ensued” when the man — later identified as Anilus — fled his vehicle, in which he allegedly turned and shot at pursuing officers.
Long said that “multiple” officers returned fire, “striking the suspect multiple times.” He added that “multiple officers” were also transported to area hospitals for evaluation and that at least one of them suffered a minor injury.
Video and photographs of the scene from multiple reports showed the suspected vehicle stuck on top of what appeared to be a concrete block, but Long declined to comment on any possible crash or anything else, as the investigation is ongoing.