Lakeville Man Identified as Suspect in Taunton Police Slashing Incident

TAUNTON (WBSM) — The suspect who allegedly injured five members of the Taunton Police Department with a knife Tuesday night, including Chief Edward Walsh, has now been identified.

Douglas Hagerty, 35, of Lakeville faces numerous charges after he allegedly slashed two officers and sent them to the hospital and punctured Walsh’s abdomen with the knife.

Hagerty is charged with armed assault with intent to murder, three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and resisting arrest.

He was expected to be arraigned today in Taunton District Court.

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On September 26 at about 6:40 p.m., Taunton Police had pulled over a vehicle in the area of 716 County Street. While conducting the stop, another car approached and the driver, later identified as Hagerty, pulled alongside and began shouting at the officers. He then sped away quickly from the scene, but officers did not follow him.

His vehicle was later spotted by a Taunton Police officer allegedly operating in an unsafe and reckless manner on County Street. The officer attempted to pull him over, and Hagerty allegedly stopped his vehicle but then took off at a high rate of speed, nearly striking the officer and his vehicle.

Police said that during the subsequent pursuit, “Hagerty drove directly at a marked Taunton Police cruiser and struck another cruiser in the area of Cherry Street.” He then crashed the vehicle into the front entryway of a multi-family home on West Britannia Street owned by one of his relatives, and ran into the building with officers still pursuing him.

Inside, Hagerty allegedly pulled a knife and began waving it at the officers, slashing two of them. Chief Walsh arrived on scene, and Hagerty allegedly swung his knife at Walsh, resulting in a puncture wound to Walsh’s abdomen.

Walsh then Tased Hagerty, who was then taken into custody. Hagerty was taken to Morton Hospital to be treated for injuries to his hands, and was later released. He remains in police custody.

According to police, one officer sustained serious slash wounds, including to his neck, face and back, and was medflighted to a Boston hospital. A second officers was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment for knife wounds to his arm. Chief Walsh and two other officers were also treated at the hospital and released.