Freetown Police Department

  • Home
  • About Us
    • History
    • Message from the Chief
    • Challenge Coin
    • Citizen’s Academy
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Freetown Police Patch
    • Photo Gallery
  • Our Team
    • Administration
    • Communications
    • Special Police Officers
    • Detective/Follow-up Investigator
    • Lock-up Attendants
    • Patrol
    • Traffic Controller
  • FAQs
  • Resources
    • Animal Control
    • CodeRED
    • Downloadable Forms
    • Links
    • Parking Tickets
    • Student Internship Program
    • Towing Information
    • Property Disposal
  • Firearm Licensing
  • Safety Tips
    • Annoying Phone Calls
    • Child Passenger Safety
    • Domestic Violence
    • Halloween Safety
    • Identity Theft
    • Internet Safety
    • Safety Net by Lo-Jack
  • News
    • News Blog
    • Weekly Police Logs
  • Special Events
    • Harvest Festival
    • Independence Day Parade & Fireworks
    • Lakeside Festival
    • Patriot Half Triathlon
    • Robinson Estates Yard Sale
    • Strawberry Festival
  • Contact Us
    • Citizen Survey
    • Contact or Visit FPD
    • Complaints & Commendations
    • Police Detail Request
    • Radar Trailer Request
    • Public Records Request
    • Reporting a Crime

January 19, 2019 by freetownsgt

Police Use Taser on Man Armed with Knife

December 17, 2018

 

Freetown police officers, responding to a disturbance Wednesday night, used a Taser to subdue a distraught male armed with a large knife.

 

Officers were called to an East Freetown home at about 10:45 p.m. to deal with a man threatening family members with a knife. Arriving officers were met outside of the home by family members and were informed that the man claimed to have a gun and would shoot the first officer that entered the home. Officers were also informed that an elderly woman was still inside the home.

 

Fearing for the safety of the elderly woman and the male, Sergeant Elton Ashley, accompanied by Patrolmen Patrick Lee and Nathan Melo, entered the home where they located the male in a bedroom. Upon seeing the officers, the male armed himself with a 9-inch knife and began threatening the officers. While one officer pointed his handgun at the male and shouted warnings, another officer successfully deploy his Taser and the male was then subdued and handcuffed.

 

The male was transported to a local hospital for treatment and subsequently transported to the Bristol County jail.

 

Police Chief Carlton E. Abbott, Jr. commended the officers stating, “They exercised courage and great restraint during this dangerous situation.”

 

The man, identified as Benjamin P. Richard, was charged with the following:

 

Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

Resisting Arrest

 

He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning at the Fall River District Court.

 

Steven E. Abbott, Lieutenant

Public Information Officer

508-763-4017

Filed Under: Press Release


crashreports

Freetown Police Department

 

Chief Scott M. Rose

Freetown Police Department
15 Memorial Drive
East Freetown, MA 02717

Business Line: 508-763-4017

FOR EMERGENCIES DIAL 911

Copyright © 2025 Freetown Police Department · Site Design by JGPR · Log in
 

Loading Comments...