Rockland witnesses describe robbery, police chase that led to suspect being fatally shot

ROCKLAND, Mass. — The wild chase started early this morning at a 7-Eleven in Rockland. The suspect went into the store, stole white gloves, put them on -- and pulled out a gun.

In-store surveillance video released by police, you see the suspect walk up to the register and pull out a gun.

Rockland Police say the man got away with $334.

In the cell video captured by Toni Bono, you can see police running after the suspect in a nearby neighborhood.

“The other police officers went to the backyard and the guy came around on the left side of the house and then that’s when the cops came around,” said Bono.

Christine Breadmore lives in the same neighborhood. She told us the man was running from house to house.

“He did appear suspicious because when he said, ‘Two kids jumped me, can I use your phone?’ he was very jittery,” said Breadmore.

Rockland Police Chief John Llewellyn told us the suspect managed to get away in a police cruiser after running around the house. According to the police department’s policy, the vehicle is supposed to be secured.

“That officer was a little distraught at that point, rather than running directly back to his car, he pursued him around the house and in hindsight, maybe the wrong angle to take,” said Chief Llewellyn.

The suspect led police on a multi-town chase causing two cruisers including one from Abington to flip over after hitting a utility pole. Mary Alberti heard the impact.

“I guess the officer was okay, he was able to climb out the car and everything,” said Alberti.

Police also say the suspect managed to break open the lock that holds the semi-automatic long gun in the cruiser. The gun was never fired but police say he was holding it when police shot him in Quincy.

“Because he has almost 3 hours in that vehicle he was able to bend the metal bracket and able to work that rifle out,” said Chief Llewellyn.

Police on Friday night said they are still looking for the handgun used in the robbery. They are not sure if he tossed it before he managed to take the police cruiser.

At one point here in Rockland, the police chief told us the suspect drove at the officers before the pursuit, but officers were able to refrain from using force at that point.

Cox Media Group