Authorities Investigating Whether MBTA Officer Donohue was Hit by Friendly Fire

Authorities are looking into whether MBTA Officer Richard Donohue Jr., who is recovering in Mount Auburn Hospital after was perhaps struck by friendly fire, The Boston Globe reported last week.

According to The Globe story, State Police spokesman David Procopio confirmed Thursday that the investigation is underway. It states that Donohue, 33, of Woburn, was struck in the leg by a bullet which is embedded in his leg.

The Globe quotes two law enforcement sources who asked not to be identified about the investigation.

One of the sources said that there is nothing conclusive at this time because no forensics have been done and that doctors will determine when and if to remove the bullet.

The other source said the investigation was undertaken because authorities suspected Donohue may have been struck by friendly fire due to where he was positioned during the fire fight with the suspects. The source said the situation was "unprecedented" in its scope and that normally there is a single officer and a single suspect exchanging fire.

The second source also said that whether Donohue was struck by friendly fire or by the suspects doesn't change the fundamentals of the situation. It was a chaotic scene and officers were trying to subdue a dangerous suspect and were trying to protect the community, themselves and each other. It was of course the suspects that put the chain of events in motion and police were responding to their actions.