SOUTH HADLEY — Before a frantic man allegedly dug a kitchen knife into a police officer’s neck, and before the officer reached for his gun, a woman, locked in the Dunkin’ Donuts bathroom Friday night, cried to a 911 dispatcher on the phone, according to court documents. The father of her children had come to kill her, she said.
The officer, Christopher Roberts, entered the shop around 6 p.m. Friday and approached Jeffrey Torres, the 29-year-old Springfield man police say was threatening an employee’s life, who is also the mother of his children.
Responding to the woman’s 911 call, Roberts entered the Dunkin’ Donuts and approached Torres and “within seconds” he began flailing the knife in his hand as he inched toward the officer, court documents say.
Roberts fired three shots, police said, hitting Torres twice. Security footage shows the knife still embedded in the back of Roberts’ neck when he took aim.
First responders swarmed the parking lot in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts on Newton Street after reports of an officer-involved shooting.
Both Torres and Roberts were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where Roberts was treated and released, and Torres underwent surgery, police said. Torres remained in the hospital from Friday to Monday, when he appeared in court.
In police reports and court documents, it is not yet clear what led Torres to allegedly confront the Dunkin’ Donuts employee that evening, or what he might have said.
But whatever it was drove the woman, whose name was redacted in court documents, to retreat to the bathroom, scared for her life.
The Northwestern district attorney’s office said investigators are still conducting interviews, and that no additional information was available –including where Torres was shot and the administrative status of the officer.
On Monday, Torres, who arrived in court wound in bandages and in a wheelchair, pleaded not guilty in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, said his attorney, Alfred Chamberland of Easthampton.
After his appearance in court Monday, Torres was committed to Bridgewater State Hospital for further mental evaluations, Chamberland said, adding that he would be arraigned again April 8 if he is found competent to stand trial.
Torres remains held without bail. Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Robert Opsitnick will argue that Torres is too dangerous for release if he is cleared by the hospital, according to the district attorney’s office.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com.