Sandy MaloneBoston, MA – A Boston police officer was shot multiple times on Friday night when he came upon the armed robbery of a pizza guy and tried to intervene.
The incident occurred at about 9:18 p.m. on June 9 in the unit block of Cedric Street in Roxbury, WCVB reported.
Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the officer was on patrol when he spotted a man pointing a gun at a Domino’s pizza delivery driver.
The police report said the officer identified the suspect as the same armed robber who had robbed another Domino’s delivery driver at the same address on Wednesday night, WCVB reported.
Commissioner Cox said the gunman – later identified as 23-year-old John Lazare – opened fire when the officer started to approach him and fired multiple rounds before running inside a building.
The officer radioed dispatch and said he had been shot multiple times, including in the foot and back, WCVB reported.
“I am certainly proud of the officer and his behavior,” Commissioner Cox told reporters. “This [suspect] not only fit the description, but he actually saw the act in progress and acted accordingly — even to his own peril.”
Officers quickly responded to the scene and the wounded hero was transported to Boston Medical Center in a police car, WCVB reported.
Commissioner Cox said the officer had undergone surgery and was expected to survive his wounds.
A manhunt for the gunman included a helicopter, and police ultimately located Lazare on a rooftop of a nearby building, WCVB reported.
Police said Lazare fled on foot and jumped off the building.
He landed in an alley and injured his leg, according to WCVB.
Massachusetts State Police (MSP) troopers coaxed Lazare out of the alley at riflepoint, and he was taken into custody by the Boston police.
💢SUSPECT IDENTIFIED💢
John Lazare, 23, of Brockton has been identified as the suspect in this photo who shot a Boston Police Officer last night. pic.twitter.com/av5HT7zmhb
— Live Boston (@LiveBoston617) June 10, 2023
He was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to have his self-inflicted leg injury treated, WCVB reported.
The police report said investigators found loose denominations of U.S. currency, Domino’s icing cups, a Domino’s receipt, and a cellphone in the alley where Lazare landed.
Officers recovered a gun and a 9mm shell casing on the first floor of the building Lazare ran into after he shot the Boston cop, WCVB reported.
The gun was a Smith & Wesson 9mm that was reported stolen in Vermont.
The police report said the gun had one round in the chamber and 10 rounds in the magazine, WCVB reported.
Officers also found a 9mm shell casing inside Lazare’s jacket pocket.
The police report said the gunman had two warrants out for his arrest when he shot the police officer, WCVB reported.
Lazare is scheduled for arraignment on Monday morning in Roxbury District Court.
He is facing multiple of firearms-related charges including assault with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, WCVB reported.
Lazare has also been charged with assault and battery with a firearm, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, possession of a large-capacity firearm, and receiving stolen property, according to the police report.
Commissioner Cox said two other officers were injured by something other than gunfire during the incident, WCVB reported.
Both have been treated and released from the hospital to recover at home.
Officials have not publicly identified any of the wounded heroes, WCVB reported.
Prayers for a Boston police officer shot multiple times Friday night investigating a robbery. The officer is hospitalized with injuries reported to be non-life-threatening.#thesacrificecontinues #BPD #BostonPD #Boston #PAPD #papdprotectsnynj #PAPBA pic.twitter.com/3mexnOJloE
— Port Authority PBA (@PAPD911) June 11, 2023
“This just goes to show that all the difficult work that our officers deal with daily,” the police commissioner told reporters. “It’s just so troubling in today’s world that, you know, these things happen.”
Holly Matkin
