Man Dies From Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound In I-495 Standoff: Police

ANDOVER, MA — A Quincy man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday night after barricading himself in a vehicle in a standoff along I-495 near Andover, Massachusetts State Police confirmed Wednesday morning.

Anthony Miele, 49, shot himself while police negotiators were attempting to convince him to surrender peacefully, officers said. Police said Miele later died at Lawrence General Hospital.

An hours-long standoff began after a state police sergeant saw a BMW believed to be in connection to a series of bank robberies outside the Digital Federal Credit Union Bank on Broadway in Methuen. When officers tried to stop the car, police say the driver took off onto Route 28 and then to I-495.

Around 7:10 p.m., the BMW pulled into the highway median and the driver - later identified as Miele, then barricaded himself in the car for almost two hours before shooting himself, state troopers said. No troopers fired their weapons, state police confirmed.

State troopers confirmed Miele was the only person in the vehicle and said no officers were injured in the incident.

The standoff, which took place near Route 93, shut down traffic in both directions on I-495. Aerial footage broadcast on NBC 10 showed police vehicles blocking traffic near exit 40, and officers surrounding a dark-colored sedan with their guns drawn.

State police described the situation as "dynamic," and said patrols and tactical units were on the scene. NBC 10 reported that crisis negotiators were brought in to try to resolve the situation.

The highway began to reopen at around 10:15 p.m., according to MassDOT.

The Essex County District Attorney's Office will be leading the investigation into the standoff and shooting, police confirmed Wednesday.

No additional information was immediately available.