Fall River Man Shot After Police Standoff Captured on Video

UPDATE: The Bristol County District Attorney's Office said the man who was shot by police, identified as 38-year-old Domonick Knight, was pronounced deceased at a local hospital following the shooting.

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — Fall River Police have released body-worn camera footage from an incident this morning in which a reportedly suicidal man was apparently shot in a standoff with police.

What Prompted the Police Response?

According to police, the department received multiple emergency calls at about 1:37 a.m. today from concerned family members about a relative experiencing a mental health crisis. “Callers reported that the male was expressing suicidal ideations and was in possession of a firearm,” police said.

Officers arrived on the scene and secured the perimeter. Other residents of the home, as well as those of the adjoining duplex, were evacuated. Police said during that process, calls continued to come in from family members saying the man intended to harm himself.

Efforts to De-Escalate the Situation

“Given the nature and urgency of the situation, medical personnel were requested to stage nearby,” police said. “At approximately 2:25 a.m., a trained crisis negotiator arrived on scene and initiated multiple attempts to communicate with the male using phone calls, text messages, and a loudspeaker. Despite all efforts, communication was not successfully established.”

The department’s Emergency Services Unit arrived at 2:42 a.m., and attempts to communicate with the man continued unsuccessfully for nearly an hour. The decision was then made to breach the front entry and enter the home.

The Moment Police Breached the Home

At 3:15 a.m., ESU breached the front door and police said “movement was immediately observed at the top of the staircase, directly in front of the entryway.”

“While ESU officers stood in the doorway, the male fired upon them from the top of the stairs,” police said. “Officers returned fire while repositioning away from the entryway. Communication efforts continued both prior to and following the exchange of gunfire.” The exchange was captured on police body-worn camera footage.

The ESU then deployed a flashbang distraction device and entered the home. At about 3:18 a.m., the man was located at the top of the stairs. Police said he was “found in possession of a short-barreled rifle equipped with a drum magazine beneath his body and a handgun near his head.”

He had sustained a gunshot wound to the side of his head. The man was taken into custody and medical assistance was requested. The victim, later identified by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office as Domonick Knight, 38, was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital.

Police said the incident remains under investigation by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with Massachusetts State Police.