One man dead after overnight standoff in Jamaica Plain

JAMAICA PLAIN, Mass. — Police were on scene in Jamaica Plain Sunday morning after an incident overnight left one man dead. It's unknown yet whether he was shot and killed by law enforcement or whether he took his own life. It happened at 21 Wyman Street in Boston.

Around 10 p.m. Saturday night, Police Commissioner William Gross says police initially responded to a domestic violence incident. Gross says officers found a man standing outside 21 Wyman who then ran into the house and fired shots at the officers.

Police set up a perimeter, swat was called and about 15 to 20 people -- including small children and an infant -- were evacuated from the home. Negotiators tried to talk with the suspect, but it didn't work.

"At one point this suspect appeared at the front window, smashing the front window and brandishing a firearm in the direction of Boston police officers," said Commissioner Gross.

"Being in fear of not only the lives of residents in that building and in the neighborhood and in the fear of their own lives, an officer discharged his department-issued firearm in the direction of that male suspect."

Gross says the officer who shot at the suspect was not wearing a body camera. He says the investigation will look into which officers were wearing them.

Police entered the home to find the suspect and also found two other guns. District Attorney Rachael Rollins will investigate this incident.

"This was a very, very tense standoff, and we're just happy that the officers, as well as the residents in the community, left safely," Gross says.

Police say the home was a bed and breakfast with guests visiting from all over. Those guests spent Sunday gathering their bags, once it was finally safe to do so, and went off to find other places to stay.

Some neighbors didn't mind the room rentals on their street.

"I quite frankly enjoyed having the use on this street, I thought it makes our neighborhood interesting," said Marie Mercurio, a neighbor. "I know a lot of the visitors, I talk to them when they're visiting. I ask them why they're here sometimes; it's their first time in Boston, and why JP, and they're visiting our restaurants -- I think it's really cool."

But others who live there aren't on board and hope the business will now be shut down.

"Because it's right next door to my house and I have people parking right in my driveway, and sometimes in the morning I can't get out." said Noelia Pagan, another neighbor.

The DA says the suspect who died lived in the house and worked for the bed and breakfast. He has not been identified.

Cox Media Group