Gunman killed after injuring 11 Boston cops

Eleven Boston police officers were injured two critically by a gunman wearing body armor and wielding an "assault" rifle who was shot and killed after opening fire on police, according to Police Commissioner William Evans.

The commissioner says two officers one a 28-year veteran and the other a 12-year veteran of Boston Police were hospitalized in “extremely critical condition.”

“We’re asking for everyone’s prayers to help pull them through,” he tells WBZ radio. 

 Nine officers were treated for minor injuries, stress and trauma.

At a morning news conference, Evans says the 33-year-old gunman identified as Kirk Figueroa opened fire on officers responding to a report of a domestic disturbance involving a person with a gun around 11 p.m. Wednesday in East Boston.

Evans describes a "hectic scene" as officers rushed to pull their injured colleagues to safety while under fire.

“Some of them were involved in the exchange of gunfire, some involved in applying their hands to the wounds of these officers,” Evans tells reporters.

He says police used deadly force on the gunman as a last resort. "We had to do what we had to do,” he says.

“I commend the officers. They moved in and neutralized the threat pretty quick that no one else got killed,” he tells reporters.

The district attorney’s office says it will investigate the use of deadly force, as is standard protocol.

Hours earlier, police officials and Walsh honored the department's first Hispanic officer killed in the line of duty, Jose Maceira. They announced Maceira, who was shot in 1974 and died in 1977 as a result of his injuries, would be added to the BPD’s Memorial Wall of Honor in police headquarters. 

[US Today]