Suffolk County DA Rules 2017 Officer-Involved Shooting 'Lawful'

CHELSEA, MA — Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden released the final investigative findings and case files over an officer-involved shooting incident in Chelsea in 2017 on Wednesday.

Kelly Pastrana, 38, died during an armed standoff in a Warren Street home on May 17, 2017. In the investigation into his death, Hayden's office reviewed and confirmed the findings of former District Attorney Rachael Rollins.

"The investigation found that the involved officers' actions were lawful and reasonable exercises of self-defense and/or defense of others, and no criminal charges are warranted," Hayden said.

On May 17, 2017, Pastrana fired at police responding to a domestic violence call in which he punched and choked his wife, Rollins said. His wife and her 10-year-old daughter had escaped the house and fled to a neighbor's house for shelter. Police say Pastrana followed them, firing gunshots at them as they hid.

According to police, Pastrana then returned to his house and set fire to it while still inside, firing multiple shots at a Chelsea police officer as it burned. The officer returned fire, striking Pastrana, who ended up dying in the fire he started.

Rollins reported that both officers fired their weapons in "proper exercise of self-defense," and did not file criminal charges against them.

"This was a deeply traumatic case for all involved—Mr. Pastrana's wife, his daughter, the Chelsea police officers and firefighters on scene, and the neighbors who, by simple proximity, became unwilling participants in the unfolding tragedy," Hayden said.

The full report can be found here.