Tewksbury Police are on the hunt for a suspect following a harrowing confrontation with a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier on Tuesday. According to official reports, a masked individual is said to have brandished a weapon at the federal employee before fleeing the scene.

The incident took place at around 11:04 a.m. near 483 Shawsheen St., when the suspect reportedly displayed a firearm at the mail carrier. Tewksbury Police officers spotted the vehicle soon after, initiating a pursuit as it raced down Whipple Road. The suspect eventually abandoned the vehicle near Tomahawk Drive and, managed to escape on foot despite the heavy police presence.

In a coordinated response, law enforcement launched a full-scale search including aid from the Massachusetts State Police Airwing, NEMLEC SWAT Team, drones, and K-9 units. The search extended throughout the surrounding neighborhoods, with residents being kept informed through a Code Red message and social media updates from the police.

A critical discovery was made following the suspect's hasty departure when a police K-9 uncovered a firearm behind a residence on Grasshopper Lane, a finding that likely belongs to the suspect. Despite these efforts, the suspect remains at large. Chief Ryan Columbus stated, "We have deployed every asset at our disposal to find this individual, including a door to door search in the area he was last seen," in a statement given to the press. The motive behind the suspect's actions is still under investigation.

The authorities have described the suspect as a black male, likely in his late teens or early 20s, donning a dark-colored sweatshirt and mask during the time of the incident. Tewksbury Police urge anyone with pertinent information to come forward and< a href="https://tewksburypolice.com/anonymous-tips/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">contact them.