Boston Municipal Court (BMC)-Central Division Probation Officers
Are First Responders to Shooting Scene

Two Probation Officers and an Assistant Chief Probation Officer from Boston Municipal Court-Central Division were about to conduct a curfew check of a probationer, identified as an ‘Impact Player’ at an Operation Impact meeting, when gunfire erupted and they inadvertently became the first responders to a shooting last night at a Washington Street apartment complex in Boston’s South End.

Operation IMPACT is a group of law enforcement representatives who meet weekly at the District 4 Police Station to share information about high-risk, violent offenders in the community. The probationer, identified in the IMPACT meeting last night, was added to the list for the evening’s curfew checks. IMPACT members include representatives from BMC-Central Probation, Sufffolk Juvenile Probation, BMC-Roxbury Probation, and Parole.

BMC-Central Assistant Chief Thomas Lally and Probation Officers Christopher Lawlor and William Regan were driving to the home of the probationer when Regan noticed two young men, dressed in gray hooded sweatshirts, sitting on bicycles at a crosswalk between the Washington Street apartment complex and apartment buildings in the back. After Lally parked the car and began to walk towards the apartment complex, they heard gunshots and saw security guards from the building complex scramble.

Lally, Lawlor, and Regan rushed towards the scene as the probationer, who they were there to check on, stood in front of the building and yelled ‘they are shooting out back,’ according to Lally.

“A young fellow about 14 or 15 years old limped up to us and asked if we had a First Aid Kit. He had been shot. We called the police.”

Lally and Lawlor stayed with the shooting victim. Regan whisked the probationer, who was uninjured, into the building. Lally said he did not believe the probationer was the intended victim although he was identified in the IMPACT meeting as the intended victim in another shooting the week before. “Someone shot six rounds at him,” Lally said.

“Thank God no one was seriously hurt,” said Lawlor of last night’s shooting.

John Tobin, BMC-Central Chief Probation Officer, said of last night’s turn of events: “This incident and the Probation Officers’ response to it shows the value of curfew checks and the value of attending Operation Impact meetings.”

Suffolk County Regional Supervisor Mark McHale added, “This is a perfect example of how Probation Officers help out in the community.”

No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting, The incident is under investigation, according to Lally and Boston Police.