Police Say Officer Shot Appears To Be Improving

Beverly police say friends and family have spoken to an officer who was shot by another officer and that his condition appears to be improving.

Police said on their Facebook page Sunday that Officer Jason Lantych "appears to be doing OK."

Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett says Officer Jason Lantych was shot multiple times by off-duty Hamilton Police Sgt. Ken Nagy. According to Blodgett, the two men knew each other and had planned to meet at the Starbucks on Route 1A in Beverly, near where the shooting took place. It is unclear why the two men were meeting.

Hours after the shooting, Nagy, 44, returned to the scene and killed himself inside his SUV.

Lantych, 35, was shot in the leg and wrist.

"Without regard to their own safety, several individuals exited the Starbucks and provided medical attention to Officer Lantych immediately after he was shot until the ambulance arrived," Beverly Police Chief Mark Ray said. "Their actions saved Jasonʼs life and they should be commended for their courage and quick thinking."

A 10-year veteran of the force, Lantych previously served as the school resource officer in the Beverly Public Schools.

Beverly High School graduate Doug Pelletier remembers Lantych well.

"He's very friendly," Pelletier said of Lantych. "A lot of the kids love him. He's just in the halls all the time, just going 'Hey, what's going on?' Just very nice, but yeah, he's a very humble guy."

Hamilton Police Chief Russell Stevens says Nagy was with the department for 19 years.

"He was a great police officer, a good investigator and well-liked by the community," Stevens said. "He will be greatly missed."

Nagy's wife Katie works for the local domestic violence agency Healing Abuse, Working for Change. According to Ray, she works with the Beverly Police Department as a domestic violence advocate.