Police Officer, Bystander Shot, Killed In Weymouth Massachusetts; Suspect In Custody

Gary Higgins/The Patriot Ledger

WEYMOUTH, Mass. —

A police officer and an innocent bystander were shot and killed in Weymouth Sunday morning.

Authorities say Weymouth police Officer Michael Chesna, 42, attempted to arrest a suspect, identified as Emanuel Lopes around 7:30 a.m. Authorities say Lopes attacked Chesna with a stone, striking Chesna in the head before taking Chesna’s firearm and shooting him in the head and chest area.

Chesna was taken to South Shore Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Authorities say officers engaged in a foot pursuit with Lopes when he fired off Chesna’s gun three more times, with one of those bullets striking a woman who was in her home and killing her. Lopes was taken into custody after discharging the weapon. He is expected to be arraigned Monday on two counts of homicide.

Witnesses at the scene said they heard gunshots sometime between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. in the area of Burton Terrace. One witness, who was dog-sitting, said she heard officers yelling at the suspect to put the gun down before 10-15 shots were fired.

There is a large police presence at the scene on Burton Terrace. About a dozen shell casings could be seen on the ground and a house had bullet holes pierced through its window.

Just a block away sits South Shore Hospital where there is another crime scene. It is believed the entire situation began with the someone driving erratically near the hospital before hitting another car.

Sources tell WCVB that one of the cars belonged to the suspect and the other belongs to a hospital employee. Both cars were towed away from the scene.

State police detectives assigned to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office are involved in the investigation.