A man wielding a large machete has been shot dead by anti-terror cops in Boston. According to local authorities, the man was the subject of an active terrorist investigation and was being following by officers into a shopping mall in the Roslindale neighborhood of the city. The victim has been named as Usaama Rahim.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Boston’s Police Commissioner Said the Officers ‘Had to Take a Life’
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans told the media that “Our officers tried their best to get him to put down the knife. Unfortunately, they had to take a life.” Evans explained that members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, combining FBI agents and Boston police, followed the man to the CVS. The machete-wielding suspect confronted the officers. After he refused to back down, he lunged at the officers. He was then shot dead as both a member of the Boston Police Department and an FBI agent opened fire, reports the Boston Globe.
2. The Suspect Died at a Local Hospital
The shooting happened in the parking lot of the CVS at around 7 a.m. on the morning of June 2. Neither officer suffered any physical injuries but both are being treated for stress. The suspect was rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead, reports WCVB.
3. Officials Aren’t Saying Exactly Why the Man Was Under Investigation
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. (Getty)
The suspect was in his 20. The Boston Herald reports that officials are not releasing any more information about him or why he was being trailed by anti-terror cops at this point. Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh told the Boston Herald “I’m leaving all comments to the FBI and the Boston Police Department. It’s an ongoing investigation so I’m not going to comment.” Walsh made the comments while he was on the scene.
4. He Was Armed With a ‘Large Military-Style Black Knife,’ According to Police
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FBI Special Agent in Charge Vincent B. Lisi told the Boston Herald that the machete being carried by the suspect was a “large military-style black knife, adding the suspect could have “done a lot of damage.” The Joint Terrorism Task Force is a partnership between the FBI and local police across the country. In addition to terrorism, the force investigates cases of wire fraud and identity theft.
5. This Terrorist Incident Comes as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s Friends Are Being Sentenced
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This potential terrorism shooting comes as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s college friends are due to be sentenced in Boston. The friends are accused of covering up evidence linking the Boston Marathon Bomber to the 2013 attack. For his role in the obstruction, Dias Kadyrbayev was sentenced to 72 months in prison.