OAN’s Abril Elfi
5:45 PM – Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Douglas Hagerty, a man accused of a horrific attack on five Taunton police officers, appeared briefly in court and was held without bail while undergoing a mental health evaluation.
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On Wednesday, the suspect appeared in court in connection to a knife attack on five police officers on Tuesday night following a car chase.
Taunton Police Chief Ed Walsh, one of the victims who suffered a puncture wound to his torso, spoke at the appearance and stated how an officer could have easily died in the incident.
“An officer could have died last night; a suspect could have died last night and that didn’t happen,” he said. “A lot of the officers were shaken up by this, especially based on the injuries they saw to their co-workers, “We’re dealing with it right now, we’re trying to deal with it right now with their mental health as well.”
Reportedly, one of the officers suffered serious injuries to his face, neck, back, and was quickly airlifted to a hospital.
The four other injured officers were treated at local hospitals, including Walsh, who had responded to the incident from his nearby residence.
According to police, they were performing an unrelated traffic stop on County Street when the alleged suspect pulled up to the officers in a silver Honda Accord, yelled obscenities at them, and then sped away.
The authorities did not pursue the vehicle.
A short time later, another officer on patrol noticed Hagerty driving erratically in the same car, so he was pulled over. He also nearly hit one of the officer’s vehicles as he drove away, according to reports.
Police said Hagerty then began driving again and was pursued until he slammed into the entrance of a family home on West Britannia Street, where he lives.
He fled inside a random home on the street where he lived, and as authorities followed, he reportedly grabbed a knife and charged the officers.
Walsh stated that the suspect tried stabbing him with a sharp kitchen knife.
“The suspect tried stabbing me with a kitchen steak knife,” Walsh said. “There was a slight penetration of my body as it was going in, but the blade broke off the handle and it didn’t fully penetrate.”
Hagerty was reportedly apprehended within 15 minutes of the incident and sent to a nearby hospital for hand injuries. He was arraigned on Wednesday in Taunton District Court and is now being held without bail as he undergoes mental health evaluations.
The 35-year-old suspect is facing several charges, including three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and one count of armed assault with intent to murder.
Hagerty is scheduled to appear in court on October 17th for his next hearing.
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