Police say they tried to talk Paul Coderre down and used a Taser, but ultimately he fired his gun and shot an Acushnet officer in the leg, leading to his death when officers returned fire.
It started out as a night of drinking with friends but it ended with a shootout with police that ultimately led to a former Massachusetts city fire official's death.
Former acting New Bedford Fire Chief Paul Coderre, 55, was drinking with friends at the Bayside Lounge in Fairhaven when he got into an altercation Friday. He tried to drive home, but someone stopped him. Coderre was armed with a gun when police from multiple surrounding towns arrived on scene around 4:30.
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Police say they tried to talk him down and used a Taser, but ultimately Coderre fired his gun and shot an Acushnet officer in the leg. Police returned fire and killed him.
“Several attempts were made to use non-deadly force to subdue him, including the use of a Taser. Those attempts were not successful,” Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said.
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Coderre was fired two years ago for lying about work-related injuries. The city said he was caught on video handling large equipment, including a 176-pound barbecue smoker grill, even though he was on disability collecting more than $200,000 in benefits.
Residents were left stunned by the chaotic scene that unfolded in Fairhaven Friday night.
“Nothing you can do. People carry guns. You shouldn’t carry guns and drink,” said Karen Diggins, who owns the beauty salon right next door. “People kept calling me checking to see if I was working and it’s just unbelievable. It’s a nice quiet bar.”
The Acushnet officer, who hasn't been identified, has been released from the hospital and is in good spirits.
“This again highlights the dangers that police officers face every day when responding to these types of situations,” Quinn said.
Mayor Jon Mitchell said the shooting is tragic in every sense, adding that he's relieved the officer who was injured will make a full recovery and that no one else was seriously hurt.
The investigation was ongoing as of Saturday morning.
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