Officers lined up outside the Boston Medical Examiner’s Officer for fallen Auburn officer https://t.co/sVXcclCLeq pic.twitter.com/4Eka9FltSr
— FOX25 News Boston (@fox25news) May 22, 2016
The search for the gunman who killed a Massachusetts police officer came to an end on Sunday when the suspect died in a shootout with police.
The suspect, 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, of Worcester, had been sought by police for the killing of 42-year-old Ronald Tarentino, Jr., an Auburn police officer and a father of three who was shot dead after an early morning traffic stop in the town south of Worcester. A state trooper was wounded in the crossfire inside an apartment in Oxford, police said in an evening news conference, but the trooper’s injuries were not life-threatening. He was not identified.
Suspect in fatal Auburn officer shooting is dead, and a trooper was hit during a shootout https://t.co/sVXcclCLeq pic.twitter.com/Tn4g8yUTHQ
— FOX25 News Boston (@fox25news) May 22, 2016
Earlier in the day, Tarentino’s fellow officers mourned.
“The Auburn police, the town of Auburn and the law enforcement community has suffered a tragic loss this morning,” Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis said in an afternoon news conference. “We are devastated for his family.” RELATED:Man fatally shot in Mattapan
Neighbors in Auburn told reporters they heard several shots in the early morning, according toa report from MassLive. “I heard rapid fire gunshots and then I heard somebody yell, ‘Get down’,” neighbor Phil Berthiaume told the news site.
Tarentino was pronounced dead at UMass Memorial Medical Center, police said. His body was taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Boston Sunday morning, accompanied by a procession of police cruisers. Officers in the city lined the streets and stood at attention for a somber salute to the fallen first-responder. The body has since been taken to a funeral home in Leicester.
RELATED:Methuen robbery suspect wanted to be shot: Police
Throughout the day on Sunday, police departments took to social media to offer their condolences.
Meanwhile, a flag at the headquarters of the Auburn Police Department flew at half-staff, and mourners dropped flowers and candles at a memorial for fallen police officers at the station.
#WPD officers including @TheIACP President salute the escort of the fallen @AuburnMAPolice officer this morning. pic.twitter.com/2NaDeZfWtp
— Wellesley Police (@WellesleyPolice) May 22, 2016
Our thoughts and prayers are with the officers of the Auburn Police as they mourn the loss of one of their own. pic.twitter.com/UhJu1cXNDK
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) May 22, 2016
Flag at Auburn Police HQ at half staff in honor of fallen Police officer pic.twitter.com/eAHKBnL8bf
— Steve Brown (@WBURSteve) May 22, 2016
Ppl dropping off flowers at police memorial outside #Auburn Police for officer killed in line of duty.#wbz #wbznews pic.twitter.com/6oucJcsAwB
— Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) May 22, 2016
IMPORTANT: Any notice/BOLO labeled “Law Enforcement Sensitive” we ask u NOT disseminate it & take down if u have posted. Pls share!
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) May 22, 2016
Note: This article has been updated to remove identifying information about the suspect in the case. Police have also asked that a “be on the lookout” or “BOLO” notice that appeared online Sunday and contained an image of the suspect and his car not be shared via social media. A link to that notice has also been removed from this article.