EVERETT, Mass. — A man who hijacked a Republic Services trash truck and crashed on a bridge near the Encore Casino in Everett remains hospitalized in critical condition on Friday morning after being shot by police, authorities said.
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It all started around 12:45 p.m. when police in Medford received a call about a man acting erratically at a Sunoco gas station.
The man, later identified as 33-year-old Admilson Vizcaino, of Everett, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced during a Thursday night news conference. By the time police arrived on the scene, the suspect had left in a black Chevrolet SUV.
Medford police issued a “BOLO” (be on the lookout) for the vehicle, and around 1 p.m., Stoneham police spotted the SUV and tried to pull over the driver, who didn’t stop, according to Ryan.
About an hour later, around 2 p.m., the car was spotted at a 7-Eleven in Billerica, where reports of a shoplifting incident had taken place, Ryan said.
Then, around 3:15 p.m., authorities received a phone call from one of Vizcaino’s family members alerting the police that he was in Malden, according to Ryan. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had left, and Malden officers began to give chase but lost sight of the car and notified Everett police.
Shortly after, Vizcaino crashed the SUV on Broadway in Everett near the Encore Casino and drove a short distance before it became completely disabled.
Vizcaino then ran off, allegedly attempting to enter several cars in traffic. Massachusetts State Police troopers swarmed the area, later finding a gas container inside the SUV that the suspect was seen carrying at the 7/11.
At that point, Vizcaino bolted out into the roadway and hijacked a Republic Services trash truck, according to Ryan.
At least one police officer opened fire on Vizcaino as he forced the operator of the truck out of the driver’s seat, according to Ryan. He then drove the truck for about a half mile, with police on hot pursuit, striking light poles, fire hydrants, and several other things before crashing on the sidewalk on the Alford Street Bridge.
Vizcaino was then taken into custody and rushed to a local hospital with critical injuries.
Vizcaino’s mother tells Boston 25 News she became worried with the way he was expressing himself and that some of the things he was communicating did not make sense. That’s when she says she called police for help.
“Middlesex and Norfolk they oversee investigations into police shootings. Is the use of force by the officer justified based on the circumstances they had at the time? Is it lawful so that’s a criminal investigation into the use of force,” said Former Boston Police Chief Daniel Linskey.
Everett Police Chief Paul Strong said that the officer who shot the suspect has been placed on administrative leave as per their policy.
A witness told Boston 25 News that they heard about “10, 11, 12 gunshots” ring out.
Vizcaino is charged with four counts of attempted armed carjacking, two counts of armed carjacking, assault, armed assault with intent to rob, and various motor vehicle charges, including leaving the scene and property damage.
Ryan said that pending the suspect’s health, he will be arraigned at a later date.
Boston 25 News has reached out to Republic Services for comment. The trash services company and Teamsters Local 25 Union have been in a dispute over a new contract for the last several weeks.
Mass State Police referred Boston 25 News to the Middlesex DA. They say they are looking into Everett PD’s use of force at this time.
All of Thursday’s incidents remain under investigation.
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