Boston Officer Faces Manslaughter Charge After Shooting Suspect Amid Video Dispute

Officer Faces Manslaughter Charges After Shooting Suspected Carjacker

A Boston police officer is now facing manslaughter charges after authorities stated he shot and killed a suspect accused of carjacking. According to reports, 33-year-old Officer Nicholas O’Malley from Randolph, Massachusetts, was charged with manslaughter and appeared in Roxbury District Court on Thursday afternoon. During the arraignment, a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf, with numerous fellow officers filling the courtroom.

The judge overseeing the arraignment allowed O’Malley to be released without bail, provided that he surrenders all firearms he possesses. The decision came after investigators determined there is probable cause to believe O’Malley committed voluntary manslaughter by intentionally shooting 39-year-old Stephenson King, resulting in his death, without acting in proper self-defense or defense of another.

Details of the Incident

Officers initially responded to a reported carjacking on Tremont Street, where a woman claimed she was sitting in the passenger seat of her running vehicle when a man later identified as King allegedly assaulted her, dragged her out, and drove off in the car. According to the investigation, O’Malley and another officer approached the stolen vehicle with their guns drawn and ordered King to show his hands, turn off the car, and unlock the doors.

King at times raised his hands and partially opened his window but did not fully comply. Authorities claim O’Malley then warned, “Bro, I’m gonna f***ing shoot you,” before King reversed into a cruiser and shifted between reverse and drive in an apparent attempt to flee. As the vehicle moved forward again, O’Malley re-drew his firearm and fired three shots through the driver’s side window, striking King.

Aftermath of the Shooting

After being shot, King drove a short distance before crashing into a stone wall. Officers pulled him from the vehicle and attempted lifesaving measures before he was pronounced dead at a hospital. Investigators noted that O’Malley later claimed King “tried to run us over,” but body camera footage and witness accounts showed neither officer was in the vehicle’s path at the time of the shooting. O’Malley told investigators he believed his partner was about to be crushed, but authorities determined that belief was not reasonable.

According to the autopsy, King was struck three times, with two bullets recovered from his torso and another found in the car’s passenger-side seat. No weapon was found on King or inside the vehicle.

Legal Context and Investigation

Investigators also highlighted Massachusetts law, which prohibits officers from firing at a moving vehicle unless necessary to prevent imminent harm and requires that force be proportionate to the threat. The Boston Police Department has not responded to requests for comment or for the body camera footage.

Boston 25 reported that Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden stated the video will not be publicly released due to the ongoing investigation. O’Malley is scheduled to return to court in May.