Kwabena Amoateng
A 24-year-old former student of Wenchi Senior High School, who currently resides in Worcester in the United States of America (USA), has been arrested for allegedly shooting two members of his family.
Reports said the Ghanaian youngster, Kwabena Amoateng, fired several rounds at police and was eventually shot and bitten by a police dog before getting arrested after a 13-hour standoff with police in Massachusetts.
The standoff ended just after 9pm, when the suspect emerged from the house where he had sought cover and was apprehended before being carried to the hospital in an ambulance.
The Worcester Police Department in Massachusetts, in a statement, said that the incident took place on Friday, July 7, 2023, at around 8:30 in the morning.
The statement said officers were dispatched to a residence on Colby Ave in response to a domestic incident involving a male suspect who had shot two family members.
According to the report, when police got on the site, the suspect had already escaped. Officers chatted with a family member there before noticing the suspect, who looked to be holding a pistol, outside the home.
He first obliged when the officers instructed him to get on the ground. But then he jumped up, fired at the officers, and went back into the house.
In response, a police team comprising the Police Hostage Negotiation Team, SWAT Team, K9 Unit, drone operators, and a Mobile Crisis mental health clinician swiftly arrived at the scene.
“For approximately thirteen hours, officers attempted to persuade the male to leave the residence. Hostage negotiators continually attempted to make contact, the drone provided valuable aerial video, and SWAT officers maintained the perimeter.
“Worcester Paramedics and Firefighters were standing by. The male fired his handgun at officers on several different occasions during the incident, and officers returned fire,” the statement noted.
CBS News reported that finally, at about 9:30pm, the male took a step out of the rear of the residence and was taken into custody with the assistance of the K9. He was treated medically by paramedics, placed under arrest and transported to the hospital.
It reported that his injuries included a dog bite and a gunshot wound, adding that the police ensured the safe evacuation of the victims from the house, leaving the suspect inside.
The report indicated that both the suspect and the two victims were injured and were treated at a hospital.
The suspect is now facing numerous serious charges related to the incident and was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment yesterday.
The reason for the suspect’s actions is still being investigated as officials attempt to have a better picture of what happened.
By Ernest Kofi Adu