Shot Boston Officer Continues Recovery
Posted: May 25th, 2007 12:02 PM PDT
BOSTON --
A Boston police gang task force officer continued to recover on Thursday after being shot in the line of duty in the city's Dorchester neighborhood.
Officer Steve Romano, 41, was injured just before 10 p.m. Wednesday when a bullet pierced a part of his chest that was not protected by his bulletproof vest. He was hit in a rib.
Officials said after being asked for identification, Antonio Franklin opened fire on Romano near the John Marshall Elementary School in Dorchester. A state police officer working with Romano returned fire, hitting Franklin twice in the torso.
"During an encounter with Officer Romano, the weapon was fired at least once, striking Officer Romano in the upper torso," prosecutor John Patrick said.
A second man, Durell Curry, is also wanted in connection with the shooting.
"I don't know where these kids are getting the guns from. I don't know. They got them and they are using them and that's scary," one Dorchester resident said.
"I wish they would stop and try to clean up the gang violence. It would be safer for our kids," another Dorchester resident said.
Flanked by state and local law enforcement officials, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis announced charges will be brought against 25 gang members. Most of those facing charges are between the ages of 17 and 21.
"If we cannot lock up impact players on gun charges or shooting charges, we will find other means. And in this case, federal drug charges to remove these predators from our city streets," Davis said.
Franklin recently got out of prison and is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg.
Romano was recovering at Boston Medical Center on Thursday. He is expected to make a full recovery.
"The officer is in serious, but stable condition. He is being observed in the hospital and we believe that, obviously, his injuries are not life threatening. We are very happy that he survived this attack," Davis said.
Franklin was arraigned at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center on Thursday on charges of armed assault to murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was ordered held on $250,000 cash bail.
Franklin's bail on an open marijuana case out of Dorchester District Court was also revoked.
No comments:
Post a Comment