Man Fatally Shot After Allegedly Pointing BB Gun At Brockton Police Officers

A Brockton man police say was carrying a BB gun that resembled a real firearm was fatally shot early Thursday by Brockton police officers, the Plymouth County district attorney's office said in a statement.

Officers arrived at 50 Thayer St. in Brockton around 12:30 a.m. to respond to a complaint that a man was threatening to burn down the residence there, the statement said.

Police said, according to that statement, that upon their arrival they found 45-year-old Douglas Buckley, the man accused of making threats, standing outside holding what the responding officers believed to be a rifle in one hand and a police scanner in the other.

The officers told investigators that Buckley dropped the rifle — which was later found to be a BB gun -- and pulled out a "concealed handgun from his back" before allegedly pointing it the officers, the statement said. The officers fired at Buckley, hitting him in the lower abdomen on his right side.

"A preliminary investigation has revealed that both the rifle and handgun that Buckley allegedly pointed at Brockton police officers were BB guns that closely resemble authentic guns," the statement said.

Buckley was taken to an area hospital, where officials say he was pronounced dead at 2:05 a.m.

Police said a woman, who said she had spoken to Buckley over her cell phone, came to the police station to report his alleged threats and said he had been drinking, the statement said, adding that she told police people were inside the Thayer Street residence he was allegedly threatening to burn down.

The DA's office, as well as State Police officials, are investigating. No additional information was available.