Police and Lynn Police on the scene at 300 Lynn Shore Drive on Monday afternoon to investigate the shooting.
By Joseph Domelowicz Jr.
Details continued to emerge this week in the fatal officer involved shooting that took place on Lynn Shore Drive Monday morning.
According to statements released by the Lynn Police and the Essex County Sheriff’s office late Monday and Tuesday, the incident began when Monday morning when Lynn police officers went to the apartment of 57-year old Robert Dapkus, to execute a search warrant looking for evidence that the Lynn man had been involved in an armed robbery a week earlier at the Porthole Pub on the Lynnway.
According to reports, Lynn Police had developed evidence that Dapkus was one of two armed men that had forced their way into the upstairs offices at the Porthole Pub on the morning of September 26, tied up the Porthole’s owner Robert Gaudet and two other employees, during an armed robbery of the restaurant.
According to Gaudet and other employees of the Porthole Pub, Dapkus had been a regular at the bar and restaurant, but had also been escorted form the premises on more than one occasion.
On Monday morning, as police continued their investigation into the Pub robbery, they arrived at Dapkus’ apartment to search the unit for evidence linking him to the crime. However, upon their arrival a second person in the unit, Dapkus’ girlfriend told officers that Dapkus was armed before fleeing to a rear bedroom.
When officers breached the door, one of the officers saw that Dapkus was pointing a gun at them, called out “gun” and the officers retreated once again to the hallway. Dapkus then exited the apartment into the hallway still pointing the gun at officers and three officers fired on him.
According to the official statement, officers immediately called for Lynn Fire emergency medical personnel and Dapkus was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
State police and the Essex County District Attorney’s office continue to investigate the incident. They have indicated that the three officers involved in the shooting will be identified upon the completion of the investigation.