Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey determined that Braintree police officers were justified in fatally shooting a man who injured two officers and killed a K-9 during an ambush in June.
The incident began when police responded to a call from woman who said she was physically assaulted by Andrew Homen, 34, in a Braintree home on June 4. Homen had already left the scene by the time of their arrival around 12:45 p.m. and was in possession of two firearms, according to the DA. Braintree police also learned that Homen had active arrest warrants and was accused of holding the barrel of a gun to the victim’s head.
Using information provided by the victim as well as security camera footage, police determined the direction the suspect ran and followed, creating a perimeter around a densely wooded area near an apartment complex and the East Braintree Middle School, which entered a lockdown to protect students.
Braintree police officers William Cushing, Richard Siebert and Matthew Donoghue entered the woods to find Homen with the help of K-9, Kitt, according to authorities.
At around 1:28 p.m., Kitt began signaling they were approaching Homen, and Cushing saw someone concealed behind a rock only a few feet away, authorities said.
“Show me your hands, show me your hands,” Cushing reportedly commanded.
Authorities claim that as Kitt continued to approach Homen, he fired three rounds, ultimately killing the K-9.
Officers returned fire, the DA said, and Cushing and Donoghue both suffered injuries. Police responded to care to the officers. Homen was transported to South Shore Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
In response to the incident, Morrissey determined that the three officers were “objectively reasonable and justified” in the use of force against Homen because he was “involved in a series of violent crimes and presented an immediate threat to the officers or others, including the children in the East Middle School.”
“I also find that Homen fled, was armed, and was actively resisting arrest, failed to follow instructions to disarm himself or show his hands when requested to, was attempting to evade arrest by flight into the adjacent wooded area, and discharged his weapon at the police and K-9 Kitt,” Morrissey added.
Further, Morrissey said his office will take no further action relative to these three Braintree officers.
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