DA: Easton police officer shoots, kills woman holding rifle-style BB gun

Cody Shepard, The Enterprise
·2 min read
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EASTON — An Easton police officer fired a single fatal gunshot at a 56-year-old woman who threatened to shoot herself and officers and who later pointed a rifle-style BB gun at police, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said Monday.

The Southeastern Regional Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call about 11:30 a.m. Sunday from an Ashland resident who requested a well-being check be conducted for his mother.

"The caller stated that his mother, Marianne Griffiths, 56, had told him that she had injected herself with a dangerous amount of insulin in an attempt to commit suicide," Quinn said in a written statement Monday.

Easton police responded to the home at 32 Spooner St. and encountered Griffiths and other family members.

"After a brief discussion with her, she ran downstairs and threatened that she would shoot the police and herself," the statement says. "The officers inside immediately evacuated the other people in the home and exited the residence. At that point Griffiths ran back upstairs, approached the front entry way to the home and pointed what appeared to be a rifle at the officers, who were now standing outside the home. An Easton Police Officer then fired one shot, before retreating to cover."

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Griffiths was struck once in the chest and died, Quinn said.

"Once police re-entered the home, they secured the rifle Griffiths was holding, which turned out to be a pump action BB gun," the district attorney said.

Easton Police Chief Keith Boone said in a Sunday night statement that the officer fired a single gunshot while "fearing for their safety." That officer, who has not been named, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, per department policy, Boone said.

Quinn said preliminary information obtained during the investigation revealed Griffiths suffered from "long-term mental health issues and suicidal ideation."

"A full investigation is underway and a final report on all facts, circumstances and conclusions will be released publicly upon the conclusion of the investigation," the statement says.

Enterprise senior reporter Cody Shepard can be reached at cshepard@enterprisenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Easton police officer shoots, kills woman holding rifle-style BB gun