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Police Officer Responding To Call Shot Dead In Woburn

A veteran Woburn police officer responding to reports of a robbery at a department store jewelry counter was killed in a shootout that also claimed the life of a suspect, authorities said Monday.

Officer John Maguire was one of several officers who responded to 911 calls about a robbery at Kohl's just before 9 p.m. Sunday in the midst of a snowstorm, according to a statement from the office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone and Woburn Police Chief Philip Mahoney.

Maguire was chasing two suspects on foot when the gunfire began. Maguire and the suspect who authorities say fired the fatal shot were struck. Maguire was taken to Lahey Clinic in Burlington, where he was pronounced dead. The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"This is a horribly tragic and troubling incident in which a veteran officer was fatally shot in the line of duty," Leone said.

Woburn, a city of about 40,000 residents, is about 10 miles north of Boston.

Heavily armed police officers and state troopers used dogs to search nearby stores and retail complexes for other suspects, eventually arresting 19-year-old Scott Hanwright and 51-year-old Kevin Dingwell, both of nearby Wakefield.

Hanwright was charged with first-degree murder, while Dingwell, who police say was the getaway driver, was charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Both are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Woburn District Court. It was not clear if they had lawyers.
Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based Kohl's is offering counseling to employees who were working at the time of the robbery.

"This was a tragedy for all involved and our deepest sympathy goes out to the officer's family," Kohl's spokeswoman Vicki Shamion said in a statement, deferring further questions to Massachusetts authorities.

This program aired on December 27, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

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