Boston, MA - Boston police announced on Friday that officers were locked out of a community center while a cop inside was getting kicked in the face by an armed suspect.
The incident happened on Thursday when officers in the City Wide Drug Control Unit were in the area of 2 Estabrook Road, Boston PD said.
The officers were surveilling the area for a 16-year-old male who was a suspect in an ongoing firearm investigation, as part of an attempt to serve a search warrant on him.
The officers saw the suspect walking with a 15-year-old male while appearing to be nervous, looking around anxiously, and clutching a backpack close to his body.
The two individuals entered the Dewitt Community Center. Two officers followed behind and were buzzed in by a staff member.
After explaining the warrant to the front desk staffer, the officers were directed to an upstairs classroom where the juveniles were at.
They informed the classroom proctor of their intentions, and waited as the juveniles came out towards them.
Once the two juveniles exited the classroom, they pushed the officers and started to flee.
One of the officers was able to hold one suspect while the second officer caught the second suspect at the top of the stairs.
The suspect at the top of the stairs fought with the officer, which sent them both tumbling down the stairs to the first floor. During the fight, the suspect repeatedly kicked the officer in the face and upper body.
Backup officers arrived to help, but the community center staffer refused to unlock the doors. The backup officers were forced to stand outside as they could see the fight at the other side of the doors.
The officers were finally allowed to enter, and they took the suspects into custody.
Two officers were transported to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.
A search of the suspect's backpack revealed a loaded revolver.
When the community center staffer was questioned about why she delayed in letting the officers in, she said that she had just been reprimanded by a supervisor for allowing the initial officers in the building, even though the officers had a search warrant.
The 16-year-old suspect was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a firearm on a public way, assault & battery on a police officer and resisting arrest.
The 15-year-old suspect was charged with assault & battery on a police officer and interfering with police officers.
Both suspects were out on bail at the time of the attack, and their new bail was set to $25,000 for the 16-year-old and $5,000 for the 15-year-old, according to Boston Globe.
The community center employee has not been charged.
Boston Herald reports that the director of the Dewitt Community Center and the chief executive of the Madison Park Development Corp., which operates the center, have not responded to repeated media requests for comment.
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