Advertisement Police shoot, kill knife-wielding man in Boston's South End Man pulled out a knife, police say Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Police shot and killed a man after he armed himself with a knife and attempt to stab emergency personnel who were trying to help him in Boston's South End. Boston EMS and Boston police responded to a Shawmut Avenue apartment after a mother called 911 reporting her emotionally disturbed 31-year-old son was out of control. Police said the man was suffering from paranoia and schizophrenia. While trying to help the man, a struggle ensued and the man armed himself with a knife. Police said the man tried to stab the EMTs, who called for help while fighting with the man. Officers ran in to assist, and police said the man swung repeatedly at the officers and EMTs as they struggled to get the knife away.Police said they were faced with a lethal force situation and after failed attempts to disarm the man, they fired their weapons. The man was taken to an area hospital where was later pronounced dead. "Unfortunately it turned ugly," Boston police Commissioner William Evans said. "The officers intervened. They tried to disarm, and unfortunately, he just kept coming at the officers and it left them no choice right now." EMTs and police officers were treated for head and back injuries suffered during the struggle. Family friends identified the man shot as Terrence Coleman."You didn't have to shoot to kill him," his mother said Sunday. "I'm sick of this; always killing our babies."NewsCenter 5 has learned EMS had a similar with Coleman and his mother 10 years ago. At that time, Coleman was armed with two kitchen knifes, trashing the apartment and attacking his mother. His mother called 911 then too.The Suffolk District Attorney has taken over the case and pledged to conduct a thorough investigation. Statement from Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley"As we have in every such case for more than a decade, we will release our entire investigative file to the family of the deceased and the media upon its conclusion. To my knowledge, this level of transparency in fatal police shootings is unparalleled, and no other district attorney's office in the country affirmatively releases every report, every interview, every dispatch transmission, and every map and diagram in every case as we do."Get the WCVB News App