Police Officer Strangled In Violent Altercation At Stop & Shop

Man oh man, how times have changed. Nowadays, you're taking your life into your hands just by shopping at your neighborhood grocery store. You would certainly not expect a violent dust-up to take place between two men but that's exactly what happened this past Saturday morning at a popular supermarket.

Boston Police report that a suspected shoplifter at a South Bay Shopping Center Stop & Shop supermarket allegedly tried to strangle a police officer during a violent assault on Saturday morning.

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According to a statement from the Boston Police Department, Patrick Craddock, a 26-year-old from Boston, is facing criminal charges after he allegedly tried to strangle a police officer who flagged Craddock for shoplifting.

An officer who was working at the South Bay Shopping Center was notified by Stop & Shop employees that there was a suspected shoplifter in the store. The officer, along with a store employee, then tried to recover the stolen items and peacefully resolve the situation.

It was then that the suspect violently attacked the officer while also taking away his portable radio so that the officer could not call for backup. The suspect then allegedly wrestled the officer to the ground and attempted to strangle him. Eventually, the officer regained control of his radio and managed to call for backup.

More police officers quickly arrived and Craddock was placed in custody without further incident. The police officer was taken to a local hospital for injury evaluation due to the altercation.

The incident remains under investigation. Meanwhile, Craddock will be arraigned in South Boston District Court on charges of Assault and Battery on a Police Officer, Assault and Battery Strangulation, Assault and Battery, and Shoplifting. For more on the story, check out the official website of the Boston Police Department here.