Chelmsford Suspect Tried To Attack Officers In Hospital: DA

CHELMSFORD, MA — A suspect shot by Chelmsford police over the weekend tried to attack officers in the hospital, according to authorities. William Santiago, 35, of Lowell, was charged with a host of crimes in relation to the confrontation Sunday. Police said Santiago punched an officer in the face, forcing other officers to Taser him and then shoot him twice, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.

Santiago was arraigned in Lowell District Court Tuesday and charged with two counts of domestic assault and threatening to commit a crime. He will likely face other charges, Ryan said.

Santiago was shot in the leg and another bullet grazed his head, Ryan said. The suspect was medflighted to a Boston-area hospital, where he proceeded to try to attack officers in his room, Ryan said.

"Massachusetts State Police troopers and a Chelmsford Police Officer were present in the defendant’s Boston hospital room," Ryan said in a statement. "As they were leaving the room, the defendant jumped from his hospital bed and attempted to attack one of the officers. As he was being restrained, he reached back towards his bed, where a pair of surgical scissors had been hidden. The defendant was restrained and the officers did not sustain bodily injury."

The initial the confrontation happened Sunday at about 7:40 a.m. as officers responded to a report of a domestic assault on Clover Hill Drive. Santiago was "combative" then punched an officer in the face, the DA's office said.

"The male continued to be combative and began using items nearby, including a large shard of glass and a hammer, as weapons," Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. "Fearing for the safety of the female victim and the safety of the responding officers, one of the responding officers deployed their department issued Taser in an attempt to subdue the suspect. When the Taser was ineffective, another officer fired two shots striking the suspect in the leg and grazing his head."

The woman was treated and released from a local hospital, Ryan said.

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Feroze Dhanoa (Patch National Staff) and Mike Carraggi (Patch National Staff) contributed to this report

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