NEW MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE MEDIA STATEMENT – DECEMBER 9, 2024:

Southeastern Massachusetts Pursuit of Armed Man in Crisis Ends without Incident

[MSP MEDIA STATEMENT] Shortly before 10 p.m. on Sunday night, Rochester Police advised State Police of a BOLO (be on the lookout) for a 35-year-old man who reportedly fled his residence in a Toyota Tundra with multiple firearms. State Troopers located the Toyota Tundra down the Cape on Route 28 in Dennis, followed behind it for a brief time, and initiated a traffic stop. As the Toyota entered a congested area, State Police Command terminated the pursuit, and the trooper advised that the man continued traveling on Route 28 towards Harwich.

At that time, the Department deployed the Air Wing to provide information from the sky.

As the operator continued east, Orleans Police deployed a tire deflation device that made effective contact with the Toyota’s front passenger tire. Although the Toyota continued at a low rate of speed for a short time, it eventually became disabled and stopped again. The operator abandoned the vehicle in the vicinity of Eves Way and Great Pond Road in Eastham and fled on foot.

Police chased the man for approximately 100 yards when a 30-minute standoff ensued. Despite the danger posed by the man pointing a firearm at himself and police, troopers and officers de-escalated the situation by engaging him in conversation. The man ultimately surrendered to police who placed him into custody, recovered a pistol and two shotguns, and facilitated his transport by EMS to a local hospital. Police resolved the incident with no injuries or damage to property.

State Police filed several charges against the man for his actions, including: three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm), failure to stop for police, and negligent operation. He is identified as Mr. Shawn Smalley, 35, of Rochester.

[HN VIDEO – PRESS PLAY]

INITIAL HN REPORT & VIDEO:

EASTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS – [HN VIDEO NOTES]  –  As you will see and hear in the following HN video from Sunday evening, police across Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod were on the lookout for a red Tundra driven by a man suffering a mental health emergency, reportedly armed with two shotguns and possibly other firearms. At around 9:15 p.m., the man in his mid-thirties was believed to be traveling the Mid-Cape Highway in the area of the Hyannis Exit, according to cellphone pings. Police in the area were updated and advised to “use extreme caution.” As you will hear, police began following the red Tundra in the areas of Yarmouth, then Dennis, and then Harwich. The pickup reportedly failed to stop for police officers on several occasions, according to radio transmissions. At one point, as the vehicle was approaching Orleans, police were able to successfully hit the vehicle’s tires with spikes, causing at least one of the tires to go flat. As you will hear, the vehicle, now operating on at least one tire rim, continued and did not stop for police as it entered the Town of Eastham.  A state police helicopter joined the pursuit. And the pursuit eventually came to an end in the Town of Eastham after the Tundra turned onto Locust Road. The Tundra, that apparently appeared to be catching fire at one point, drove into a private dead-end road at the end of Locust Road. The pickup then became stuck. The driver then exited the vehicle while armed with a handgun. A brief foot pursuit ensued, eventually ending in an armed standoff in a small field. Officers were concerned about the armed man attempting to enter one of the nearby homes. Numerous state and local police officers surrounded the man with their weapons drawn. As you will see, the man was holding what appeared to be a revolver. The standoff lasted a while, with the man occasionally returning to the truck where officers feared he’d come out with more weapons. At one point, the man even started up a chainsaw for some odd reason. Watch the following HN Video to see how officers were able to skillfully bring the armed standoff to a peaceful conclusion without anyone getting hurt…   [DEVELOPING]

[HN VIDEO  –  PRESS PLAY!]

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by James Brown… [CLICK IT/CRANK IT! HEADPHONES ABSOLUTELY OBLIGATORY!]

* The initial details contained in the above report are based on police radio transmissions and information on scene. All defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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