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An officer from the Boston Police Department is now confronting charges of manslaughter following an incident last week where he allegedly shot and killed a suspected carjacker, as reported by various sources.
According to Boston 25, Officer Nicholas O’Malley, aged 33 and hailing from Randolph, Massachusetts, has been formally charged with manslaughter. His arraignment took place on Thursday afternoon at the Roxbury District Court, where he entered a plea of not guilty amidst a courtroom filled with his fellow officers showing support.
During the proceedings, the judge decided to release O’Malley on his own recognizance, with the stipulation that he must relinquish any firearms in his possession.
As outlined in charging documents accessed by Boston 25, investigators have established probable cause suggesting O’Malley engaged in voluntary manslaughter. They allege that he intentionally shot 39-year-old Stephenson King, leading to his death, without acting in legitimate self-defense or defense of another person.
Reports indicate that the police officer is accused of using unjustified force against the carjacking suspect, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Officers were initially responding to a reported carjacking on Tremont Street, where a woman told police she had been sitting in the passenger seat of her running vehicle when a man later identified as King allegedly assaulted her, dragged her out and drove off in the car, according to investigators.
The documents state O’Malley and another officer approached the stolen vehicle with their firearms drawn and ordered King to show his hands, shut off the car and unlock the doors. King, at times, raised his hands and partially opened his window but did not fully comply.
Authorities say O’Malley then warned, “Bro, I’m gonna f***ing shoot you,” before King reversed into a cruiser and shifted between reverse and drive in an apparent attempt to flee. As the vehicle moved forward again, O’Malley re-drew his firearm and fired three shots through the driver’s side window, striking King.
A Boston police officer faces manslaughter charges after prosecutors say he fatally shot an unarmed carjacking suspect without justified self-defense. (Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
After being shot, King drove a short distance before crashing into a stone wall. Officers pulled him from the vehicle and attempted lifesaving measures before he was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the report.
Investigators said O’Malley later claimed King “tried to run us over,” but body camera footage and witness accounts showed neither officer was in the vehicle’s path at the time of the shooting. O’Malley told investigators he believed his partner was about to be crushed, but authorities determined that belief was not reasonable.
According to the autopsy, King was struck three times, with two bullets recovered from his torso and another found in the car’s passenger-side seat. Investigators said no weapon was found on King or inside the vehicle.
A Boston police officer faces manslaughter charges after prosecutors say he fatally shot an unarmed carjacking suspect without justified self-defense. (iStock)
Investigators also pointed to Massachusetts law prohibiting officers from firing at a moving vehicle unless necessary to prevent imminent harm and requiring that force be proportionate to the threat.
The Boston Police Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment or for the body camera footage.
Boston 25 reported that Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said the video will not be publicly released due to the ongoing investigation.
O’Malley is scheduled to return to court in May.