Andover Fire Lt. On Leave After 'Concerning' Encounter

ANDOVER, MA — An Andover Fire Rescue lieutenant was placed on administrative leave Thursday after following an Andover woman who was getting her mail "to make sure someone wasn't stealing something."

The woman, 19-year-old Gabby Batista, is Dominican and a lifelong Andover resident, according to the Andover Townsman. She captured the encounter with the lieutenant, who is white, on camera.

The lieutenant, who town officials said was off-duty, parked his SUV near a residence, drawing the attention of Batista.

"This is literally none of your business," the woman told him.

"I'll go right to the door," the lieutenant responded. "I wanted to make sure someone wasn't stealing something."

"This is literally my sister's house," said a woman off-camera.

Batista posted the video on Twitter and called the lieutenant racist.

"This racist white man decided to approach me for doing nothing but getting my mail at MY HOME..." Batista wrote. "(He) followed me and my friends car recording us and questioned if I lived there."

Town officials did not identify the lieutenant and instead released a statement.

"This is an extremely concerning situation, one that demands a full accounting of the facts," Town Manager Andrew Flanagan said.

The town hired an independent investigator to review the encounter, according to the statement.

"Under the terms of the Fire Rescue collective bargaining agreement, the lieutenant is out of work, on indefinite paid administrative leave," the statement said. "His name is not being released at this time, on advice of labor counsel."