Man Barricaded In Apt, Attempts To Ignite Gas Leak In Charlestown

CHARLESTOWN, MA — A man who barricaded himself inside an apartment, ripped a gas line from the wall and tried to set the place on fire was thwarted by Boston Police Friday.

Just after noon someone called police to tell them a man who was emotionally disturbed needed help on Walford Way in Charlestown.

When police got there folks told them the 57-year-old man had locked himself inside an apartment in a multi story brick building that had multiple residents and had ripped the gas line from the wall, creating a gas leak.

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Police made their way into the apartment and saw the man with a cigarette lighter trying to ignite the lighter near the leak.

"Officers were able to quickly and tactically enter the residence and, using the less-lethal, Super Sock round shotgun, disarmed the male and placed him into custody," police said in a statement.

EMS transported the man to a hospital for evaluation.

“This was obviously an extremely dangerous incident both for the other residents of the building and for my officers,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans. “The officers knew they needed to act quickly, and I applaud their restraint in a volatile and unstable situation.”

Police said they will seek complaints against him for Attempted Arson, Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon, and Disorderly Person.

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File photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch