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Police report arresting man who pointed loaded gun at officers during struggle

Boston Police report officers managed to subdue a man at Blue Hill Avenue and Seaver Street who, during a struggle, managed to get out his gun and point it at them yesterday evening.

Police say that around 6:40 p.m., officers looking for Michael Peterson, Jr., on information that he was packing a gun found him at the intersection with two pals.

Officers approached Pearson on foot and, as they did so, Pearson clutched his waistband and began backing up. Fearing Pearson was armed, officers attempted to conduct a pat frisk, but Pearson pushed the officers away and attempted to flee. The officers were able to take him to the ground as he continued to reach for an object in his waistband. As the struggle ensued, officers felt a hard object consistent with the shape and size of a firearm in the Pearson’s waist area. Pearson continued to violently resist and fight with officers, refusing commands to put his hands behind his back. During the struggle, Pearson was able to get back onto his feet, retrieve a black firearm from his waist, and point it at the officers. One of the officers grabbed Pearson’s hand in an attempt to gain control of the firearm and gave repeated commands to drop the gun while Pearson violently resisted. The officers were finally able to remove the firearm, a loaded Hi-Point 9mm handgun, from Pearson and take him into custody.

Police say the gun had nine bullets in it.

Peterson was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, three counts of assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, police say.

Innocent, etc.

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Comments

BPD officers end an armed conflict without bloodshed. Proud of them.

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BPD seems to be making a habit out of doing this. I wouldn't mind seeing this as a UHub theme (meme?), like Storrowing.

I can't think of a catchy name for it, though.

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COMPETENT POLICING

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Boston PD doesn't get enough credit for these sort of stories. Many other places that guy would be dead.

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It would be entirely justified.

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Given what little we know about this case, it would appear that a shooting would have been justified. But it's awesome that it didn't happen.

Maybe further analysis will reveal that not shooting was a bad call -- that the officer(s) involved placed themselves and the public at avoidable risk. But what we know know is that someone who would otherwise have been dead is alive.

It seems that many people have a hard time separating three completely unrelated attributes of a shooting:

  1. Did the victim deserve it.
  2. Was it justifiable
  3. Was there a feasible alternative?

For example: Drug someone into a psychotic break, put a gun in his hand, and tell him the cops are in service of the lizard people; and then he approaches a police officer, firing the gun. Didn't deserve to die; shooting was justified; probably no alternative.

.

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I was just about to comment the same thing. BPD doesn't get nearly enough praise for how they handle these life-threatening situations. There are a lot of brave, well-trained, level-headed individuals serving on the force, and kudos to them for all they do.

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Our standards for police officers are so low that we congratulate them and feel good about them when they don't kill the person they're dealing with? We have to raise the bar. Not killing someone should not be an accomplishment, it should be a basic standard of conduct.

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To be fair, this wasn't like so many other stories where the cops just shoot unarmed civilians. These BPD were dealing with a clearly armed man who pointed the gun AT them. So yes, they do deserve praise for still finding a way to peacefully conclude that encounter.

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First of all stephanie your an asshole.

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As a Boston cop, I’d like to second that statement Stephen.

Steph probably would have pooped her pants, shot hersef in the foot and then shot this kid dead had she she been in this terrifying situation.

But more importantly than addressing trolls, I’d like to thank everyone for their encouraging comments. I can’t tell you how much it means to read the support we have from our community. It makes me want to be an ever better cop. So thank all of you for your kind words, and I promise I’ll try to keep being an officer you can be proud of.

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I am a Roslindale guy, and friend to many on the BPD ranks. From Evans, to Gross, and the E5 men and women patrolling Roslindale Square - I am proud to have such a fine force protecting my family, and my City.

The fact that people like Stephanie are able to live a life completely ignorant of reality (and the reality crime) only highlights the great job you are doing.

Well Done BPD. #OneLessGun

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First of all, everyone recognizes that BPD is a high quality, professional outfit, probably better than 90% of the departments out there. And you see a lot of positive comments here on this site when that professionalism is on display, as it was in this case.

But, as an insider, you know that there are bad departments out there: Under-funded, jackass commanders playing out their own personal General Patton fantasy, poor morale, mayor's campaign contributor insisting his idiot cousin be given a badge; young, inexperienced officers, little-to-no training, hiring from the bottom of the barrel, people who should never be officers kept on the force, etc. These are the places where the people and the police pretty much hate each other. As a Bostonian, I'm delighted that we don't have that shit here.

Classy professionalism, ought to be the norm, but looking nationwide, it isn't. And so we praise it when we see it, but also lament that it's less common than it ought to be.

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"Off-Duty Boston Cop Assaults Guy in Crosswalk He Almost JUST Ran Over for Attempting to "Break His Window" of His Lincoln Town Car"

One of the greatest hits....

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Wait - weren't you a military general on some other board, and a CEO somewhere else?

On the internet you can take "lets pretend" to new heights of internet tough guy bravado!

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In 2018 America, who would ever pretend to be a cop who isn’t?

If I wanted praise, I’d have told you I was a firefighter.

Love,

Boston Cop

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If you're going to insult me, at least use proper grammar

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"a person they are dealing with"..."dealing with"..?

Stephanie, this was not a barista at Starbucks "dealing" with an upset customer regarding a cold half-caff latte. This was a violent struggle where a CRIMINAL pointed a LOADED ILLEGAL FIREARM at Police Officers. HELLO????

I'm sorry, but your post may be THE most ridiculous (biased, ignorant, law-enforcement-bashing) comment I have ever read on UHUB - which says a lot. Your evident dislike for law enforcement managed to twist even a story with a very positive outcome (for all parties in this case).

If you want to look at any "basic standard of conduct" from this story - why not first look at the criminal? His basic "standard of conduct should" not include carrying an illegal firearm, and not fighting with officers, and how about (I'm going on a limb here) not pointing the firearm at them. Yes, your focus is on the police?

And yes, I do "feel good" about this outcome - for the officers, their families, this lowlife, and his family. Your off-color remark about "low standards" only highlights your ignorance and bias in this case. But for the high standards, extensive training, experience, and cool heads of the police officers, lives could have been lost yesterday. And remember this, only one person in this story was carrying an illegal gun, illegal ammunition, and evidently ready to use them the act of taking a life - and it wasn't the police.

Think of that next time you want to spout off some nonsense. God forbid, but someday that criminal's gun could have been pointed at you or someone close to you - and it will be the actions of our brave police officers that will hopefully prevent it.

And if you want to "raise the bar" - try elevating your own thought process, or widening your circle to include some LEOs. You just might learn that while yesterday wasn't an "accomplishment" - it was certainly a shining example of police professionalism of the highest order.

Well done BPD. #OneLessGun

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When it’s JUSTIFIED and they don’t shoot. Yes, it should be acknowledged.

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BPD best in the country

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