Mass. man fatally shot in standoff

— A man was Worcester, Mass. killed in a standoff with police that began Tuesday night after he called 911 and claimed to have a rifle and a bomb that he threatened to detonate, according to the Worcester county district attorney’s office.

Police fatally shot Phet Gouvonvong, 31, of Worcester, during a confrontation on Grafton Street around midnight, District Attorney Joseph Early said at a news conference. Negotiators had been talking to Gouvonvong for half an hour when he made “furtive movements” toward officers, prompting the shooting, Early said.

The encounter began when Gouvonvong called 911 around 10:30 p.m. and said he had a rifle and an explosive device. Police found him on Grafton Street and said he was wearing body armor and had a backpack and what appeared to be a rifle.

A police SWAT team joined several negotiators who tried to calm the man, Early said, and another negotiator reached him by phone. After about half an hour, the man grew more agitated and made a motion that provoked the shooting, Early said.

“He made some furtive movements toward the officers,” Early said. “Several shots were fired.”

Police said they believe one officer fired several shots, and that Gouvonvong did not open fire. Gouvonvong was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators are working to identify what weapons he had. Early said Gouvonvong had “what appeared to be an assault rifle” and an explosive device. Officers later recovered a handgun with multiple rounds of ammunition from the body, the district attorney said.