BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts State police found a semi-automatic handgun in a wooded area in Methuen Friday, believed to be discarded by a man who fled police after an alleged incident of domestic violence.
Police were first learned about a man and a woman physically fighting in the middle of the street on Route 110 at around 12 p.m. Friday, when a driver pulled over and notified a nearby State Trooper.
The Trooper responded to intervene, and found the man and woman on the street on the 500-block of Lowell Street near their vehicle, which was pulled to the side of the road.
MSP said the Trooper began investigating the incident and asked the duo what happened, but neither was cooperative.
"During the interaction, the Trooper was assaulted by the suspects, who then fled into adjacent woods," MSP said. "Before the male fled, the Trooper detected a hard object inside the suspect’s jacket consistent with a firearm."
The Trooper pursued both suspects on foot, with several additional State Police patrols in assistance. The male suspect was captured by a Methuen police officer, and both suspects were eventually taken into custody.
A witness later reported seeing the male suspect throw an object into the Merrimack River, which flows behind the wooded area adjacent to Lowell Street.
MSP said a State Police K9 team found a semi-automatic handgun in the woods between Lowell Street and the Merrimack River later Friday afternoon.
The male, an 18-year-old Townsend resident, was charged with domestic assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer, and disorderly conduct. The female, a 22-year-old Fitchburg resident, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. Neither suspect's name is being released to protect the woman's identity, since this is a domestic violence incident.
A spokesperson for MSP said the investigation is ongoing to determine whether it was the gun believed to have been discarded by the male suspect during his attempt to flee.
The initial Trooper on scene sustained a shoulder injury during the incident and was examined and released from Lawrence General Hospital.
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Written by Brit Smith
(Photo: Getty Images)