The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office will conduct an investigation into the fatal shooting of a man in Dorchester last week by police when officers responded to a report of a shooting.
Officers responded to 107 Devon St. around 10:30 a.m. after receiving a 911 call for a shooting. The report claimed two men had been shot inside a home near the area. When officers arrived, they allegedly found Peter Fanfan, 29, of Dorchester, helping a wounded man down the street. When an officer opened his cruiser door, Fanfan allegedly began shooting at the officer. Surveillance video and audio, which was played for local clergy, reportedly shows Fanfan shooting at police.
Officers shouted three times to the man to put down the gun, according to a pastor who viewed the video, and then the officer returned fire, fatally wounding Fanfan.
Two men were injured in the shooting that police were responding to, which the Globe reports may have been a home invasion.
Fanfan reportedly had a lengthy criminal record which included other gun charges. He also was evaluated twice at Bridgewater State Hospital for mental health issues, according to the Boston Globe.
His sister Ruth told the Globe he seemed fine when she saw him the previous week and had been trying to improve himself, working to move out of his mother’s apartment and get his own place, and holding a job packaging salads.
The DA’s office appointed Assistant District Attorney John Verner to lead the investigation into the police-involved shooting.
“Our priority is to conduct a full, fair, thorough investigation,” DA Dan Conley said in a statement. “When it’s complete, we will release all our findings and the complete investigative file in the interests of total transparency. For now, we’re giving the investigators the time and the tools they need to do the job right.”
