UPDATED: Police Responding to Watertown Street for Reports of Shots Fired

Updated 6:15 p.m.

Officers are searching for a possible white male who allegedly fired shots at the door of Cristofori Jewelers on Watertown Street this afternoon.

According to Newton Police Lt. Bruce Apotheker, the suspect walked up the stairs of the front entrance of Cristofori Jewelers (located in the back of the building) and fired around eight shots at the door, which was locked at the time.

"The male stood on the landing and fired a number of rounds, at this time it appears to be at least eight, into the store," Apotheker said, "The people inside the store were not struck or injured in any way." he said

Three people were inside the store, which was closed at the time of the incident. There were visible bullet holes in the glass door. 

The gun was described as a possible 45-caliber silver handgun.

The man, who is described as possibly a white male, 5'10"-6' tall wearing a jacket over a blue hooded sweatshirt with some writing on the back of a jacket. He is also described as wearing jeans and dark sneakers with white soles.

The suspect fled from the area on foot in a northerly direction, Apotheker said. Watertown Police are currently patrolling the area near Stop & Shop and all stores in that plaza have been notified of the suspect and incident, reports said.

John Lagoudakis, a Watertown resident and witness on scene, said he heard five or six shots fired before he went into the Quick Stop convenience store (located next to Cristofori Jewelers) and when he exited the store, police were on scene.

"I knew they were gunshots," Lagoudakis said. 

Roughly two blocks of the westbound side of Watertown Street have been shut down and the area is filled with five or six Newton Police cruisers.

No other details were released at this time and police could not comment whether the incident was an attempted robbery, only that the man never entered the store. The situation is still under investigation.

Apotheker said K-9s are being used from the State Police and that police will review tapes from the jewelry store to try to get more information.

“Its very unusual for this to occur. Newton is a safe area, we never get these types of incidents,” Apotheker said.

According to State Police Media relations, State Police are assisting Newton Police with K-9 units, air wing, marine unit and troopers from various barracks.

The scanner reported this afternoon that Newton Police have requested three K-9s to help search for the suspect, including a dog from State Police that can sniff out guns and a dog that has the skills to sniff out humans.

Around 5:55 p.m., scanner reports said officers were going door-to-door on Allison Street and searching in the backyards for the suspect. 

Witnesses say traffic is also tied up in the area of California Street as state and local police search for the suspect with the K-9 units. 

Stay tuned to Newton Patch as this story develops.