DA: Robbery suspect killed by police after chase and standoff in Quincy identified

QUINCY, Mass. — A robbery suspect who was shot and killed by police after stealing a police cruiser and leading officers on a multi-community chase on Friday has been identified.

Eric M. Leach, 36, with past known addresses in Winthrop and Brockton, died after a fatal confrontation with police in Quincy, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said in a statement Friday night.

Leach was previously wanted by Brockton Police for shooting an 8-year-old girl in the leg, sources told Boston 25 News. In 2012, Leach was arrested for an armed assault that involved unlawfully carrying a firearm, and unlawful discharge and assault and battery on a child under 14, according to the law enforcement website, Mass Most Wanted, where Leach was featured when, at first, police could not find him.

Leach was ultimately found on the second floor of his then-Brockton home where he was taken into custody.

In a press conference Friday afternoon, Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey said that the incident began at 7 a.m. Friday in Rockland, when an armed 36-year-old white man, later identified as Leach, robbed a 7-Eleven and made off with an unknown amount of cash. Rockland police then pursued the suspect on foot and by car. Somehow at that point, Leach got into a Rockland police cruiser, making his way toward Abington and Weymouth.

DA: Robbery suspect killed by police after chase and standoff in Quincy DA: Robbery suspect killed by police after chase and standoff in Quincy

Massachusetts State Police joined the pursuit and followed Leach to Burgin Parkway.

The MSP Bearcat vehicle met up with the suspect and the MSP negotiations team spoke with Leach.

Leach then left the scene where police had to continue the pursuit.

Finally, state and local police caught up to Leach, once more cornering him in with the Bearcat and SWAT vehicles at the BJ’s gas station in Quincy.

When Leach went to get out of the cruiser with a rifle, a Massachusetts State Police Trooper shot him, authorities said. The suspect received immediate medical assistance and was sent to Boston Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:15 a.m.

Police say driver of stolen police cruiser refusing to exit car in Quincy

On Friday night, the clerk of the convenience store in Rockland that was robbed hours earlier, told Boston 25′s Wale Aliyu she thought it was a toy gun at first when Leach asked for all the money in the register. She told police he eventually got away with $340, a couple of snacks, and white gloves.

That clerk didn’t go home afterward, instead, she worked a double.

“I’ve never seen him before,” she said. “I thought it was a joke. I thought it was a toy gun.”

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