By Tiffany Williams –
CANTON, Mass. — A tense and potentially deadly confrontation unfolded inside the Canton Police Department when an individual walked into the station lobby Wednesday afternoon brandishing what appeared to be a handgun and threatening to shoot officers.
Police say the incident happened around 3:40 p.m. at the Canton Police Department on Washington Street. Officers were suddenly confronted by a 36-year-old Canton resident who entered the building holding what looked like a real firearm and made direct threats toward police.
Two officers positioned themselves behind a secured lobby door and attempted to de-escalate the situation through conversation. The individual continued to threaten officers while actively brandishing the weapon, forcing police to treat the encounter as a live, high-risk threat inside their own headquarters.
During the standoff, the magazine fell out of the weapon. Officers then deployed a Taser, quickly taking control of both the individual and the gun before anyone was injured.
Police later determined the weapon was a realistic-looking airsoft gun capable of firing non-lethal plastic pellets. The individual was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Authorities said criminal charges will be filed at a later date.
“I want to commend the professionalism and incredible restraint shown by our officers in an extremely dangerous situation,” Interim Chief Joseph Perkins said. “They relied on their training and expertise and focused on de-escalation, even while facing a real and immediate threat. Because of the officers’ actions, this situation was resolved without injury, and the individual was connected with the appropriate mental health services.”
The incident comes just days after another alarming attack on a police facility in Massachusetts.
On Monday, a vehicle crashed directly into the front lobby of Shrewsbury Police Headquarters. Police said the driver was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was taken into custody before being transported to a local hospital with injuries. No officers, staff, or citizens were hurt.
Shrewsbury police identified the driver as Robert McCluskey, 58, of Shrewsbury. Witness statements allege the suspect expressed a desire to be shot by police.
Two police departments. Two separate incidents. Two violent confrontations at law enforcement buildings in the same week. And in both cases, officers were forced to make split-second decisions under extreme pressure as chaos came straight through the front door.