What started as a Sunday call about a man with a gun at a Dorchester gas station ended with officers chasing a suspect along Morrissey Boulevard and pulling a loaded handgun out of the water, according to Boston police. The pursuit wrapped up along the shoreline area off the boulevard, where officers took a 46-year-old Dorchester man into custody and later recovered a Ruger .380 loaded with live ammunition.
In a post on Facebook, the Boston Police Department said District C‑11 officers were dispatched for a report of a person with a gun at the Mobil station at 655 Morrissey Boulevard. When they arrived, they spotted a man on the sidewalk in front of 401 Morrissey Boulevard who matched the description. Police say the man took off on foot, darted across traffic and headed into the shoreline area, where officers saw him throw an “L‑shaped object” into the water before they caught up with him.
Officers went into the water and retrieved that object, which turned out to be a Ruger .380 ACP handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition, according to the department. Police say they also spoke with a victim at the gas station who reported that the suspect had come inside, caused a disturbance and threatened them before leaving.
Charges and next steps
Police identified the suspect as Reginald Bernard Clagon, 46, of Dorchester. According to the department, he is charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, a firearm violation with a prior violent or drug offense, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Clagon is expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court.
State law generally requires a license or firearms identification card to legally carry most handguns or possess ammunition in Massachusetts. The state’s rules and exemptions are outlined on Mass.gov.
Where this fits in citywide trends
The arrest is one of many firearm recoveries that Boston police log each year. The department’s submissions to the Firearms Analysis Unit are tracked on a public dashboard maintained by Boston.gov, which is updated daily.
Sunday’s incident also comes on the heels of a deadly shooting in Dorchester earlier this month that left one person dead and remains under investigation, as reported by Boston.com. City officials and community leaders have been pushing a mix of enforcement and outreach as Boston continues to wrestle with gun violence in neighborhoods across the city.
According to police, Clagon remains in custody pending his arraignment in Dorchester District Court. This story will be updated as court records and booking information become available.
