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Derek Rego, 39, Identified as Suspect Found Dead After Blackmer Street Standoff in New Bedford
A traffic stop on South First Street escalated into an armed chase and a neighborhood lockdown Wednesday night, ending with 39-year-old Derek Rego found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a Blackmer Street home, authorities said.
NEW BEDFORD â A routine traffic stop escalated into an armed pursuit and a hours-long neighborhood lockdown Wednesday night, ending with a 39-year-old man dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a Blackmer Street residence, according to police and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office.
The suspect was identified Thursday morning as Derek Rego, 39. He was found in a stairwell of the building at 153 Blackmer St. suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head, the district attorney's office said.
The sequence began when the driver of a vehicle fled from a traffic stop near South First Street, police said. During the pursuit, the suspect allegedly fired at officers. He then abandoned the vehicle on foot, leaving a child behind in the car, according to police.
Rego ran into a home on Blackmer Street, prompting police to establish a perimeter and evacuate nearby residents as a precaution. The New Bedford Police Department said its attempts to de-escalate the situation were unsuccessful.
Later, a single gunshot was heard from inside the residence. A tactical team deployed a drone and located the individual dead inside the home.
No officers were injured in the exchange of gunfire, and no injuries to the child left in the vehicle were reported.
The incident shut down the surrounding neighborhood for hours Wednesday night as heavily armed officers and tactical units converged on the street. Residents were urged to avoid the area while the standoff unfolded.
The Bristol County District Attorney's Office is leading the investigation into the shooting and the circumstances surrounding Rego's death, which is standard procedure for incidents involving police use of force. Further details about the investigation were not immediately available.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact New Bedford police or the district attorney's office.