*Joint Release*
Gloucester and Rockport Police Respond to Report of Armed Man Near Town Border
Man Taken Into Custody After Threatening to Do Harm
GLOUCESTER — Interim Gloucester Police Chief John McCarthy and Rockport Police Chief John Horvath report that a man was taken into custody following an incident near the border between the two communities earlier today.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., Gloucester Police were dispatched to the area of Easton Avenue and Pond Road for a report of an armed man nearby. A preliminary investigation indicated that the man, who is known to police, had recently been involved in a dispute.
Gloucester Police initiated a search for the man, who contacted police on his own and informed dispatchers that he was armed. Gloucester Police initiated a joint incident command with Rockport Police, and located the suspect with the assistance of a Gloucester Police K-9 unit and a K-9 unit from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department.
The man appeared to be holding a firearm, and officers closed off the surrounding area and established a perimeter to keep the incident contained. Gloucester Police then successfully reached the man by phone and subsequently took him into custody after he surrendered peacefully. Following his surrender, police determined that the man had a toy gun in his possession.
“I am grateful for the work of our officers and those from our partner agencies, who helped ensure this situation came to a peaceful conclusion,” Chief McCarthy said.
“This was a potentially dangerous situation that officers handled with the utmost professionalism and patience,” Chief Horvath added.
After being taken into custody at approximately 4:40 p.m., the man was transported to an area hospital to undergo a mental health evaluation. No charges have been filed at this time.
###
You must be logged in to post a comment.