Press Release  DA Blodgett Concludes Investigation of Lynn Police Shooting

Lynn, MA — Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett completed his investigation of the January 29, 2016 fatal police shooting of Randolph McClain and released his findings today.

“The investigation found that Mr. McClain not only failed to comply to Lynn Police officers repeated orders to drop his weapon but also pointed the weapon at officers and at a passing motorist whom he car-jacked. When Officers Bernard, McEachern and Seaman fired their weapons, they reasonably believed that they, their fellow officers and the public were in imminent danger of being seriously injured or killed by Mr. McClain and, therefore, the shooting of McClain does not constitute a criminal act,” District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.

The investigation found that Lynn Police Sgt. John Geary and Officers John Bernard, Joshua Seaman, Michael McEachern, and Mathew Coppinger were dispatched to 106 Bayview Avenue to serve five arrest warrants on Randolph McClain, who was the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Lynn Police Domestic Violence Unit for reports of escalating threats of violence to his former girlfriend and members of her family. On the previous day, Lynn police were given an officer safety warning at roll call about Mr. McClain’s escalating violence and that he was known to carry firearms.

After the officers who entered 106 Bayview Avenue determined McClain was in a room on the second floor, they asked him to come out and he told them he had a gun. An officer who was standing outside then radioed that McClain had jumped out of the window onto a roof and then to the ground and fled toward Western Avenue. Officers pursued him. McClain approached a passing motorist, pointed his gun at her and ordered her out of the car. He got into the car and police repeatedly ordered him to drop his weapon. He then pointed the gun at the officers. Officers Bernard, McEachern and Seaman fired their weapons multiple times, striking McClain.

The autopsy determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head and extremities.

The matter is now referred to the Lynn Police Department for whatever internal administrative review is deemed appropriate.

###