Man Claiming To Have Bomb Shot And Killed By Worcester Police

Worcester police shot and killed a man claiming to have a bomb late early Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Investigators said Phet Gouvonvong, 31, of Worcester called 911 after 10 p.m. Tuesday, saying he had a bomb. Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early said officers found him around Grafton Street in Worcester with "what appeared to be an assault rifle, body armor, a backpack and an explosive device, as well as other wires and different things about his person."

Early said officers tried to deescalate the situation, both in person and on the phone.

“He was telling us that, 'This bomb could and would go off,' ... but I can’t get into the negotiations," Early said in a press conference Wednesday morning. The dispatcher "kept him home on the phone for a long time doing her job."

But Early said that shortly after midnight early Wednesday morning, the situation took a turn for the worse.

"While the negotiations were going on, the man appeared to get more and more agitated," he said. "As a result of those furtive movements, at 12:05 a.m., Phet Gouvonvong...was shot."

Gouvonvong was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Massachusetts State Police, including its bomb squad; the Worcester PD; and the Worcester district attorney's office are investigating the shooting. Early said officers obtained a search warrant to enter Gouvonvong's home.

The district attorney added that authorities have no evidence of additional threats.

"We do not have any evidence at this point that there is another bomb, that there is any other explosives," Early said before noon Wednesday. "But again, we're just going into the apartment at this time."

Worcester Police said the officer who shot Gouvonvong was placed on administrative leave, following the department's protocol for a police shooting.