*** WATCH *** SANDWICH DISTURBANCE: POLICE INVESTIGATING REPORT OF...

SANDWICH, MASSCHUSETTS – [HN NOTES & MULLINGS ON THE MATTER] – “WHAT IN TARNATION?” was the very first thing I said to my trusty K9 partner as we began driving toward the scene… because one of the very last things I expect to hear during any given overnight is the wildly unreasonable mention of someone possibly with a machine gun anywhere near to a bustling Town of Sandwich shopping plaza…

… but as they say, sadly, things are in the process of fundamentally changing here on Cape Cod…

… and I’ll just bite my tongue and leave it at that.

Last evening around 10:30 p.m., Sandwich Police squad cars began saturating the area of Cotuit Road, Route 130, and Toms Way after receiving a report of a male running around saying he just saw someone with a “machine gun.”

As you will hear in the following HN “video,” officers responded to the back employee entrance of Tomatoes Italian Bar & Grill to speak with someone who apparently witnessed a man very concerned about a guy with a “machine gun” in the vicinity, according to police radio transmissions. The concerned man was reportedly running away from the man allegedly seen putting a “machine gun” into a vehicle in front of nearby Snap Fitness…

… and if accurate, I can’t say I blame the poor guy one bit.

Sandwich police then received a second 911 call from the man who initially reported seeing the machine gun to the witness now at Tomatoes Italian Bar & Grill. Officers were dispatched to meet the frightened man, nearby, in the area of 335 Cotuit Road, according to police radio transmissions. There was reportedly a language barrier and officers needed to rely on a telephone interpreter in order to communicate with the man.

Upon speaking with him, police were able to learn that the man with the reported “machine gun” was possibly traveling in a “blue car.” (There were very likely additional details that were not said over the radio…)

Officers worked to make sense of the alarming situation by working with a number of people, including the interpreter, witnesses, and a property manager who responded to assist, according to radio transmissions. Officers viewed available video footage while working to obtain additional video footage from nearby establishments.

It’s still unclear, but as you’ll hear in the following video, officers were apparently trying to figure out the possible connection between the initial witness and the man who allegedly had the gun.

There was something mentioned about “the suspect” never getting to the house, along with officers checking on a family to make sure they were okay. (But like I said, things are still very unclear at this point…)

In the following HN video, one officer can be heard asking about whether there was any confirmation on the type of firearm… and another officer responded by saying, “possibly a rifle.”

Officers were not able to locate the man suspected of having the alleged machine gun… it was believed he was no longer in the area prior to officers clearing the call shortly prior to midnight.

The investigation into the matter appears to be very active and ongoing… and HN has reached out to the Sandwich Police for updates, clarifications, and official details…

The following HN “video” highlights officers diligently working the scene… [DEVELOPING]

[HN VIDEO – PRESS PLAY]