State Police in standoff with group of armed men on I-95 in Wakefield area
Wakefield #Wakefield
Police have made two arrests, but a standoff continues with a group of armed men who were encountered by a trooper who stopped to assist two cars in the breakdown lane on Interstate 95 early Saturday morning, State Police said Saturday morning.
State Police Colonel Christopher Mason said in a press conference in Stoneham that the situation is “well in hand.”
Law enforcement has established a “hard perimeter” surrounding them, and police are negotiating with the men, Mason said. There are no hostages involved, Mason added.
“We are hopeful that we will be able to resolve this peacefully,” Mason said. “Time is our ally in this, and we will certainly use that.”
Mason said the men were armed with long guns and handguns and dressed in tactical gear and were traveling from Rhode Island to Maine for “training.”
Asked about what the group’s demands were, Mason said, “I think that’s something the negotiators are talking about with them as we speak.”
The incident began unfolding at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday when a state trooper stopped to assist two vehicles in the breakdown lane and encountered a group of eight to 10 armed men, dressed in miltary-style gear and armed with rifles and pistols.
The trooper requested their “driver’s license status” and asked them to produce gun licenses. They indicated they did not have them or did not have them with them, Mason said.
The trooper called for backup and State Police and local police responded.
North and south lanes on I-95 are shut down between Lynnfield and Stoneham, and officials are urging travelers to avoid the area.
Residents in the areas of Parker Road, Elm Street, and North Avenue in Wakefield are being advised to shelter in place. Additionally, residents in the area of Ash Street and Parker Road in Reading are being asked to shelter in place. Stoneham residents are not being asked to shelter in place, but are advised to use caution and avoid areas near I-95.
Martin Finucane can be reached at martin.finucane@globe.com.