What to Know
- Two police officers were shot at 2 Ashley Drive in Falmouth, Massachusetts after responding to a disturbance call.
- One officer was shot twice in his vest, with one round striking just above the vest. A second officer was grazed in the back of the head.
- Suspect was shot "a number of times" in the incident and was transported to Beth Israel-Plymouth before being transferred to Brigham.
Two police officers were shot in Falmouth, Massachusetts on Friday after they responded to a disturbance call.
The police department received a call at 5:25 p.m. Friday, for someone breaking glass on the roadway near 2 Ashley Drive in East Falmouth.
Falmouth Police Chief Edward Dunne says patrol officers Ryan Moore and Donald DeMiranda responded to the scene and engaged the suspect, who state police have identified as 21-year-old Malik Antonio Koval.
Dunne says when Koval became agitated, he retrieved a gun from inside the home and began shooting at the officers.
"Nothing in police work is routine. You think that would be something just somebody breaking bottles on the street but no call is routine," Dunne said at a press conference late Friday night.
One of the officers was hit twice in his vest. The second round struck just above the vest. He was taken to Falmouth Hospital, where he is awake and talking to his family, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said. He remained in the hospital late Friday night.
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The second officer was grazed in the back of the head, O'Keefe said. The officer was also treated at Falmouth Hospital but has since been released.
After the officers were fired upon, police returned fire, the district attorney said. The suspect was shot "a number of times" in the incident, according to O'Keefe.
State police confirmed Koval is in custody and was initially taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. He was transferred via medical helicopter to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston where he is being guarded by state troopers.
Emmalin Anderson says the suspect is her nephew, saying, "unfortunately tonight things went in a direction that none of us ever, ever anticipated."
Anderson added, "Malik has been trying to sort out several different things mentally."
Chief Dunne would not say Friday night if the police department had any run-ins with Koval prior to Friday's shooting.
State police say both Moore and DeMiranda are expected to survive.
Russell Rezendes, a family member of DeMiranda, says of his cousin, "I was just hoping that he lived. They say he's going to be okay. He's a really good officer. It's a shame how it went."
Chief Dunne shared that of Moore and DeMiranda, one of the officers is single and has been on the police force for a little over five years. The other officer is married with three children and has been on the force for under five years.
Dunne says he is extremely thankful that his two officers are going to be okay.
"I'm thankful tonight that somebody was looking after my officers and that it didn’t end up like Yarmouth and Weymouth," Dunne said. "I believe my officers will recover physically, but psychologically I'm concerned for them and every other officer in my department and every other officer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It’s got to stop."
When asked what he was feeling when he heard his officers had been shot, Dunne responded, “Not again. I was at the Yarmouth funeral. I was just at the Weymouth funeral the other day… Enough is enough... One is too many. And this is getting ridiculous.”
Dunne is referencing fallen Weymouth Sgt. Michael Chesna, who was shot and killed while responding to a report of an erratic driver and crashed vehicle on July 15, and Yarmouth Sgt. Sean Gannon, who was shot and killed while serving a warrant in the Marstons Mills section of Barnstable on April 12.
"You know this is happening way too much," Dunne said. "We’ve gotta return back to a time when police officers are respected and it's not okay to shoot a police officer."
Neighbors are also fed up with officers being shot.
"It's stupid," George Barbas said. "It's okay to shoot police now, they think, you know. It's not. They work their butts off...And keep everyone else safe. And everybody thinks it's alright to shoot cops..."
Meanwhile, many in the community are showing their support for law enforcement after this most recent scare.
At the Falmouth Police Department Friday night, several residents like Colin Murphy dropped off food and beverages for police officers on duty.
“Yeah we take all the stuff they do for granted,” said Murphy, who brought food from Captain Kidd where he’s a waiter. “I think just anything we can do to help to support them would be great.”
Governor Charlie Baker and state police were among those to show support for the injured officers.
"Governor Baker is saddened to learn of tonight’s senseless shooting in Falmouth that has left two police officers injured and is praying for their swift recoveries," Governor Baker said in a statement. "The Baker-Polito Administration believes the brave men and women who risk their lives every day to protect and serve our communities deserve our deepest respect."
"Our prayers are with the officers, their friends and family," state police said on Twitter. "We hope for a speedy recovery."
A State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney is leading the investigation along with assistance from the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, State Police Ballistics and Falmouth police.
Massaschusetts State Police said in their tweet that while they are involved in the investigation, they "would stand beside our brothers and sisters from [Falmouth Police] anyday."
ATF Boston Special Agents are also on scene assisting with the investigation.
This story is developing. Check back for more updates.
