Local News
The man was threatening people with a butcher’s knife before police intervened, officials said.
Police at the Forest Hills MBTA station investigate after officers struggled with a suspect who was wielding a butcher’s knife. David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe
Two police officers were injured Friday during a struggle with a knife-wielding suspect at the Forest Hills MBTA station in Jamaica Plain.
At about 11:15 a.m., MBTA Transit Police received a call about a man armed with a butcher’s knife who was threatening people near the upper busway. Police were told that the suspect was also trying to stab tires on a bus, Superintendent Richard Sullivan told reporters.
Officers who were already at the scene confronted the suspect, and a struggle ensued. The suspect “instantly” grabbed for an officer’s weapon. During the struggle, a gun belonging to an officer was “somehow” fired once, Sullivan said. No one was hit by the bullet.
The suspect, described only as an adult man, was ultimately subdued by the officers and placed in custody.
One of the officers suffered a knee injury during the struggle. A second officer, who came to help the first, also suffered an injury that was not life-threatening. Both were brought to local hospitals, Sullivan said.
The upper busway was closed due to police activity, the MBTA announced around 11:30 a.m. Regular bus service had resumed by 1:30 p.m.
“These officers deserve our praise and a debt of gratitude,” Sullivan said.
“I think it’s real easy to judge police officers after the fact from the comfort of your office, when every single day these folks have to put themselves in harm’s way,” he added. “They’re the ones that run to the problem instead of away from the problem. I’d like to see officers get the respect that they deserve.”
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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