Colonel Mawn Statement on Shooting of New Bedford Officer Earlier this Week

Massachusetts State Police Colonel John Mawn Jr. issued the following statement in regard to Monday night's shooting of a New Bedford Police Officer.

Once again current events reaffirm the undeniable reality of the dangers of police work—that there are no “ordinary moments” , no such thing as “routine patrol”. Dedicated public safety officers doing their jobs on the streets are never far from the risk of danger.

Monday night a New Bedford Police Detective was on duty when gunshots rang out. The New Bedford Police Department investigation continues regarding the circumstances. That the detective may not have been the intended target, is part of this investigation. What is settled, however, is that the nature of the officer’s job assignment that night (and every night) put the officer in close proximity to a suspect or suspects who opened fire on another person or persons. Both the detective and another individual received non life-threatening gunshot wounds.

We are grateful there was no loss of life or more victims. And we are thankful to the New Bedford Officer who was on the street, doing the job, exercising a commitment to protecting the New Bedford community. His dedication is mirrored by brave police officers every day and night in communities across our Commonwealth and across our great nation.

We are proud and grateful to stand in full support of our brother and sister officers in New Bedford.

Our State Police Detective Unit for Bristol County, our Gang Unit, and other MSP units continue to assist our brothers and sisters at the New Bedford Police as they continue this investigation and drive on to identity the person or people responsible for this brazen crime, for injuring by gunfire, a citizen and a police officer.

The MSP will continue to work with local police and additional partners in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and towns across the state -- and with solid, committed and compassionate law enforcement professionals -like our friends and partners at the New Bedford Police Department -- to protect our citizens from violence and street crime.

-Colonel John Mawn Jr.

Massachusetts State Police