A tense Monday afternoon on March Road ended without bloodshed after Tewksbury police spent hours containing an armed standoff, ultimately using a less-than-lethal round to disarm a distressed man and take him into custody before sending him to a local hospital for evaluation. According to a press release from the Tewksbury Police Department, officers were called to a March Road home around 12:45 p.m. for reports of a man armed with a firearm, in distress and threatening others. Responding officers set up a perimeter, kept their distance and tried to talk with the man in an effort to calm the situation while they awaited assistance from the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) SWAT team.
NBC10 Boston reported that the man eventually came out of the house with one hand under his sweatshirt, then revealed a knife when officers ordered him to show his hands. He was struck with a non-lethal round, dropped the knife and was taken into custody without further incident. NBC10 Boston also noted that he was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation and that police said charges will be filed after he is released.
How Officers Handled The Standoff
“The officers who responded to this incident showed incredible restraint, professionalism and skill as they de-escalated this dangerous situation and ensured that no one got hurt,” Chief Ryan Columbus said in a Tewksbury Police Department press release. The department credited patrol officers with maintaining distance, continuing dialogue and using less-lethal options to bring the incident to a safe resolution.
Context: Mental-Health Calls And Recent Responses
The standoff unfolded amid heightened scrutiny of violent calls linked to Tewksbury State Hospital this spring, a pattern that has drawn public criticism from Chief Columbus and pushed state and local officials to reexamine security practices. WCVB reported that Columbus has openly criticized recent policy changes at the hospital, while a Mass.gov release outlines an ongoing partnership to upgrade security and training.
Police said the man will face charges once he is released from medical care, but those charges had not yet been publicly filed as of Monday, according to the department. NBC10 Boston reported that investigators will review the facts before referring the case to prosecutors.
Residents were urged to avoid the Main Street and March Road area while officers worked the scene, according to an earlier town alert and a Patch update. The Tewksbury Police Department said it plans to share additional information as appropriate on its website and social channels.
