Autopsy: Lynn standoff suspect killed self

LYNN – An autopsy found that a Lynn man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head during an eight-hour standoff with a State Police tactical team on St. Patrick’s Day.As a result, the death of Robert Mangiafico, 37, of 27 Woodman St., has been ruled a suicide by Acting Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Henry Nields.Mangiafico died in the driveway of a Brookvale Street home where he was hunkered behind a car with a 9mm pointed at his head during most of the protracted negotiations with Lynn police and the state troopers.The autopsy also revealed that Mangiafico was shot three times in the torso by State Police.The incident began at approximately 9 p.m. Sunday when Mangiafico tried to strangle his girlfriend, Rose Hirst, inside their apartment. Hirst was able to calm Mangiafico and asked a neighbor to call police.Mangiafico and Hirst then went shopping for dog food. Police picked up the trail after Mangiafico got out of the car on Center Street and began walking. Chased and cornered, Mangiafico threatened to take his own life. After more than two hours of negotiations, Lynn police sought assistance from the State Police team. Six more hours of talk followed without results, and as dawn approached, the situation became untenable.A prepared written statement from Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett indicated Mangiafico was shot dead after he threatened the approaching officers.”Five negotiators from Lynn and State Police attempted to peacefully resolve the stand-off from approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 16, until 5:07 the next morning. Police also tried several different less-than-lethal tactics before the situation came to an end,” the statement read.According to Blodgett, when police first arrived on the scene of what was reported as a serious domestic dispute, they learned that the suspect had fled the area and was armed with a handgun. Shortly thereafter, police chased Mangiafico from Center Street to Tacoma Street.”During the standoff, Mangiafico displayed the handgun and threatened to harm himself, and also made several threatening gestures toward police. In addition, he claimed to have multiple hand grenades and plastic explosives on his person. He told police he had a pressure-activated device that would explode, and said that he was standing next to a 500-gallon oil tank, which would blow the whole block up,” Blodgett said in the written statement.The prosecutor further explained that, “after several hours of negotiation, due to the approaching daylight and additional public safety concerns, the decision was made to move in.”With Mangiafico still crouched behind the vehicle in the driveway, police initially fired pepper gas in his direction, immediately followed by less-than-lethal bean bags, which knocked him to his knees. A flash bang distraction device was also deployed, according to Blodgett.”As they approached, police heard a gunshot. They observed Mangiafico on his back, still moving, the gun in his hand with the barrel pointed toward approaching police officers. Only then did a state police officer discharge a weapon to protect himself and his fellow officers,” Blodgett said.Mangiafico was taken Union Hospital and pronounced dead at 5:30 a.m.”My office has reviewed this tragic situation thoroughly, and I am completely satisfied that Lynn and State Police did an extraordinary job in trying to disarm this individual and bring this situation to a peaceful end,” Blodgett said. “The autopsy showed conclusive evidence that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.”