Authorities said the woman confronted officers with what looked like a rifle – it was later determined to be a pump action BB gun.
A 56-year-old woman died after being shot by police at an Easton, Massachusetts, home on Sunday in an ordeal that began as a well-being check, Bristol County prosecutors said as they released new details in a preliminary update to their ongoing investigation.
The Bristol County District Attorney's Office also announced the name of the woman who died, identifying her as Marianne Griffiths.
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Prosecutors said that someone from Ashland called 911 at around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, asking that first responders check on his mom in Easton, who had told him she injected herself with a dangerous amount of insulin in an attempt to kill herself.
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Easton police responded to 32 Spooner Street, and found Griffiths with other family members. Prosecutors in a news release said that after a "brief discussion with her, she ran downstairs and threatened that she would shoot the police and herself."
Police got the others out of the house and went outside the home, the release said, before Griffiths went back upstairs, approached the entry way of the home and pointed what appeared to be a rifle at the officers outside the home, prosecutors said.
That's when authorities said that an Easton officer fired one shot and retreated to cover. Prosecutors said that Griffiths was hit in the chest and died, and was pronounced dead on scene.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
Officers said it turned out Griffiths was actually armed with a pump-action BB gun.
The woman had been dealing with "long-term mental health issues and suicidal ideation," prosecutors said that preliminary information has indicated.
The officer who was involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation, per department protocol. The officer's name has not been released.
An investigation remained ongoing.
Additional details have not been released.
