An FBI agent fired his weapon at a drug suspect Friday afternoon in the Riverdale Shops parking lot as the suspect rammed into several police cars that were attempting to block him, Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni said. The suspect managed to escape the parking lot in his car and head up Route 5 toward Holyoke, before he abandoned the vehicle in an apartment complex. The man then forced his way into an apartment, and held two residents against their will, Mastroianni said. Police were able to get him out and take him into custody without anyone being hurt, he said. Mastroianni said officials are still sorting out many of the fine details involved in the incident, which was part of an investigation involving state, local and federal agencies. Police were not yet releasing the suspect's name or what the charges will be, but Mastroianni said the list of charges will likely be lengthy and include assault and battery on a police officer kidnapping. Additional information will be released later as the different agencies involved compile their reports, he said. The suspect is not from the area and may be from out of state, he said. An amount of drugs was recovered, but Mastroianni said he was not prepared to say how much. Among the agencies involved in the investigation were the FBI, Massachusetts State Police, the Hampden County Narcotics Task Force and the Holyoke and West Springfield police, he said. The operation was in motion from Holyoke and then to West Springfield to the Riverdale Shops on Route 5 where police attempted to box the man's car in and take him into custody. Instead, the man gunned his engine and began ramming the police vehicles, he said. Several of the officers were already out of their vehicles at this time, and the FBI agent fired at the car when the suspect drove directly at him, Mastroianni said. No one was hit by the gunfire, he said. http://www.masslive.com/news/index....drug_suspect_rams_p.html#incart_river_default Update: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/edwin_santos_drug_suspect_invo.html
Edwin Santos SPRINGFIELD – You won’t see Edwin Santos back at the Riverdale Shops in West Springfield anytime soon. Santos, 23, of Holyoke, pleaded innocent to 17 charges – including kidnapping, breaking and entering, and assault and battery on a police officer – following a memorable trek through the shopping center Friday afternoon. Piloting a sport utility vehicle, Santos rammed three cruisers, led officers on a chase and was shot at by an FBI agent while trying to elude Holyoke police and members of the Hampden County Narcotics Task Force at the shopping center, police said. After fleeing the plaza, Santos headed north on Rte. 5, where he struck two more cars and eventually took three people hostage before being arrested at a Riverdale Road apartment complex, police said. In Springfield District Court Monday, Judge William J. Boyle ordered Santos held on $100,000 bail and scheduled a bind-over hearing for Aug. 1 to determine if the case should be handled in district or superior court. State police are continuing to investigate, along with federal agencies. The charges were filed by West Springfield police. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/accused_cruiser-rammer_edwin_s.html
