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Updates a story posted Monday at 2:36 p.m.

Update, 6:22 p.m.: Police Commissioner William Fitchet confirms death in the line of duty of Officer Kevin Ambrose at press conference.

Fitchet said Ambrose had a wife, 2 children and one grandchild.

Fitchet confirmed the shooter was Shawn Bryan, 35, of Hempstead, N.Y. Bryan is a corrections officer at Rikers Island in New York.

Fitchet confirmed the other shooting victim as Charlene Mitchell, 29, of 90 Lawton St. He said she is listed in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center.

Fitchet said Ambrose responded in a one-man car to a 911 call from Mitchell, who said that she had a restraining order regarding her boyfriend, that he was in the area and that she feared for her life.

Ambrose was the first to arrive, and other officers were on the way, Fitchet said. He said Ambrose was greeted by Mitchell with Bryan present. All went to the third-floor apartment, but Bryan shoved Mitchell into the apartment and closed the door.

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Fitchet said Ambrose tried pushing the door open, and was shot through the door. Fitchet said Bryan then opened the door and shot Ambrose again, and then shot Mitchell.

Bryan went outside, went into his car and shot himself in the chest, Fitchet said.

He said Ambrose and Bryan were both pronounced dead at Baystate.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, during the press conference, said, "The whole city mourns the loss of Kevin Ambrose."

In a prepared release, Sarno extended his “heartfelt condolences” to Ambrose’s family. Ambrose “wore his badge with honor and integrity and served our city with a tremendous amount of pride and passion,” Sarno said.

“The men and women in blue at the Springfield Police Department, like police departments throughout the country, are faced with very challenging, difficult and dangerous situations on a daily basis,” Sarno said in his statement. “For this, we owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to our police officers and their families. Today, Officer Ambrose paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving the residents of our city. He will be sadly missed by his fellow officers and the community at large.”

Update, 5:53 p.m.: Court issued restraining order against Shawn Bryan less than an hour before deadly rampage that killed Springfield police officer. » Read the story

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Police officer Kevin Ambrose was shot and killed responding to a domestic dispute Monday afternoon at the Lawton Arms apartment complex in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood.

Springfield Police officer shot at Lawton Arms apartment complex in Sixteen Acres 24 Gallery: Springfield Police officer shot at Lawton Arms apartment complex in Sixteen Acres

An officer's death was confirmed by Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William Fitchet. The flag at police headquarters on Pearl Street was lowered to half staff.

An email sent from City Hall notifying city councilors and media that a City Council Casino Site Committee meeting had been canceled "Due to the death of Police Officer Kevin Ambrose."

Springfield City Council President James J. Ferrera III said the regular council meeting Monday night and subcommittee meetings were canceled.

The cancellation is “in honor of Officer Kevin Ambrose who was killed today in a senseless act of violence,” Ferrera said.

The city and its citizens have been protected by Officer Ambrose for many years, Ferrera said.

“Myself and the members of the City Council grieve for him and his family,” Ferrera said.

Ambrose joined the Police Department in June 1976. He was a cadet for two years prior to joining the force.

Three people, including Ambrose, were shot. Shawn Bryan, 35, of Hempstead, N.Y., is the suspected shooter in the domestic dispute that also left Charlene Mitchell, 29, critically injured Bryan, a correctional officer at Rikers Island in New York City, apparently turned the gun on himself and killed himself following the 1 p.m. shooting.

More than a dozen police cars responded to the scene. The call came in just after 1 p.m.

A resident of Lawton Arms, Michael Palmer, said he saw a uniformed office being put into an ambulance. He said the officer did not appear to be conscious.

"I just heard a lot of police cars. There was a lot of a chaos going on. It was a very chaotic scene," Palmer said.



It was nearly 27 years ago when two patrolmen, Alain Beauregard, 29, and Michael Schiavina, 28, were gunned down during a traffic stop, marking the last Springfield officers to lose their lives in the line of duty.

Ambrose became the 15th officer in city history to be mourned by his department after losing his life on the job.



Beauregard and Schiavina were shot to death during a traffic stop on Stebbins Street on Nov. 12, 1985. Eduardo "Eddie" Ortiz, 18, was driving the car, and killed both officers with an illegal .357-caliber Magnum as they approached his car. One day later, while in hiding and surrounded by police, Ortiz killed himself.

Police blocked off State Street to provide a clear path for the ambulances. The ambulances were escorted by several police cruisers.

Michael Henderson said he was standing in front of Winn Liquors, which abuts Lawton Arms, when he heard four or five shots.

“I heard the loud gunshots. I heard kids yelling. I heard a few voices – very animated,” Henderson said.

Henderson said he lives in the neighborhood, which he described as quiet. “It’s kind of shocking. It’s kind of like something out of a movie,” he said. “It’s sad to hear an officer lost his life.”

This is a developing story and will be updated as our reporting continues

The map below shows the location of Lawton Arms: