BOSTON — Two Boston police officers need more surgery as they recover from shooting wounds they received while responding to a domestic disturbance that started as an argument over a thermostat, police said Friday.
In statements posted on Twitter, police said Commissioner William Evans visited both officers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Both were listed in critical but stable condition..
The officers were wounded Wednesday night as they responded to a call to an East Boston apartment, where Kirk Figueroa, 33, was allegedly threatening his roommate with a knife, Evans said.
“His roommate met the officers out and clearly said that he was being attacked over an issue going on inside that apartment,” Evans said.
When the two officers entered the home they were shot by Figueroa, who was armed with a tactical shotgun and wearing body armor, police said. Figueroa was then shot and killed by other officers.
“I don’t know what was going through his mind,” Evans said. “All I can tell you is he was a dangerous individual and our officers went in there unsuspecting of what took place.”
The wounded officers were identified as Richard Cintolo, a 27-year veteran and father of three, and Matt Morris, a 12-year veteran who in 2006 won the Hanna Medal of Honor, the state’s highest award for police bravery.
Police officers, city officials and community members gathered Thursday for a prayer vigil.
An artery in Morris’ leg was severed in the shooting, and his life was mostly likely saved by another officer who tied a tourniquet on it, Evans said.
Police towed Figueroa’s car, which was decorated with the name of a website called elitepolicing.org. On the site, a man who identifies himself as Kirk Figueroa says his company, Code Blue Protection Corp., provides police support, fugitive apprehension and extradition services, and armored car training.
Figueroa enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2003, but received a hardship discharge five months later, Army spokesman Wayne Hall said.
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