SAUGUS, Mass. — A quiet Sunday afternoon in Saugus was disrupted by gunfire when police say two masked men broke into a home on Oakwood Avenue.
According to police, the incident happened around noon when the suspects, both armed, forced their way into a residence. Witnesses say multiple shots were fired during the confrontation.
George Benn, who lives nearby, said he and his family immediately took cover when the shooting began.
“I saw somebody come out of the house shooting, and then we all hit the deck because you don’t want a stray bullet to ricochet or come through the window,” Benn said.
Benn added that his wife and children hid in the basement as the situation unfolded.
Moments later, he said he saw an armed individual in the street.
“We heard another pop and looked up, and I could see a gunman standing in the middle of the street, dressed in black with a mask, aiming a gun at the house,” he said.
Benn also reported seeing one of the suspects carrying a safe out of the home while shots were still being fired.
Another neighbor, Tom Bushee, said the danger kept his family indoors.
“We just wanted to stay inside. My wife was concerned there could be stray bullets,” Bushee said. “I saw a man go down, I thought he was going to be dead, but apparently he had slipped on a hill,” he said, adding that the person who fired the shots called police immediately afterward.
One neighbor’s surveillance video shows a man standing in the street and alerting police as soon as officers arrived.
Authorities say they arrested two suspects in connection with the incident: Derek Matarazzo and Timothy Gregory, both from Boston. They are expected to face multiple felony charges related to armed home invasion.
Despite the intensity of the situation, police confirmed that no one was injured.
“There’s usually a lot of people out here doing yard work on a Sunday,” Benn said. “It was just very unusual that nobody was outside and this all happened right at noon.”
Police say the motive behind the home invasion remains under investigation. However, officials have reassured residents that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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