Officer-Involved Shooting Death In Pittsfield Under Investigation
Some shocking news to report, Berkshire County! Apparently, there was a shooting death Friday night in Pittsfield and a police officer was involved. The incident is currently under investigation by the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit and the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.
According to a media statement from the Berkshire DA's Office, the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office and the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit are investigating the shooting death of 22-year-old Miguel Estrella by a Pittsfield Police Officer.
The statement reports that just prior to 10 p.m. on Friday night, police responded to 279 Onota St. after numerous people called 911 requesting assistance. Callers alerted police dispatch that Estrella had a history of mental illness.
Apparently, Estrella was cutting himself somewhere outside the apartment building at that address. Also, County Ambulance was dispatched and they responded to the scene. They offered emergency medical services and transport to the hospital which Estrella reportedly declined.
Shortly after police and medics left the scene, another 911 call came in requesting police officers return to the scene due to Estrella "acting crazy again" according to the caller.
Pittsfield Police and County Ambulance were again dispatched to 279 Onota Street at approximately 10:10 p.m. Two Pittsfield Police officers arrived ahead of County Ambulance and encountered Estrella near the entrance of the apartment building at 279 Onota Street.
An eyewitness at the scene confirmed that Estrella had a knife in his hands while the cops were there. Estrella advanced towards the officers and there is evidence at the scene that the officers deployed TASERS, which were unsuccessful in stopping him. One of the officers then shot Estrella twice.
The police officers then attempted lifesaving aid. Shortly thereafter, County Ambulance arrived and transported Estrella to Berkshire Medical Center where he subsequently died.
The Berkshire DA's Office has jurisdiction over the case and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit is conducting an investigation into Estrella’s death pursuant to standard protocols in officer-involved shootings.
Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington had this to say in the statement:
I send my deep condolences to the friends and family of Mr. Estrella for their loss. The State Police Detective Unit is conducting a thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened that led to this tragic death.
The Pittsfield Police Department placed both of the responding officers on administrative leave pending the preliminary report of the department’s internal Force Investigation Team pursuant to the order of Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn and Pittsfield Police Department policies.
Anyone with any information on the shooting is being asked to call the State Police Detective Unit at 413-499-1112. Thanks to Andrew McKeever and the Berkshire District Attorney's Office for keeping us informed.
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