Eric Michael Leach

Deadly force

Police responded to a robbery of a 7-Eleven. Surveillance video showed the man looking through the store's windows around 6:10 a.m., and he entered the store about six minutes later. He allegedly took a handgun from his waistband, told the employees of the store they were being robbed and got away with approximately $330. A customer followed the man and gave a description of him to police. Several officers began searching the area, and one cornered Eric M. Leach against a fence in a residential area. He reportedly failed to comply with commands, and the officer attempted to shock him with a Taser, to no effect. A foot pursuit followed through the neighborhood. Eric M. Leach entered one of the officers's cruisers. Leach started the cruiser, backed up and then drove at the officers, who stepped out of the way. He fled, reportedly striking a number of police cruisers. The pursuit was paused at Burgin Parkway and Route 3 in Quincy, where the stolen cruiser stopped on a ramp and was surrounded by several police vehicles. After an hour, Leach got the damaged cruiser moving again, and he drove away. Police deployed stop sticks brought the car to a stop. During the negotiations, police reportedly saw him in control of a police patrol rifle, and he started to come out of the passenger door armed with the rifle. A Massachusetts State Police trooper shot and killed him.