Peabody man shot by police after he brandishes ‘gun’

PEABODY – A police officer shot a Washington Street man Monday once in the abdomen with his department-issued firearm after the man allegedly pulled a gun on two officers who responded to a domestic violence dispute, police said.Phillip Noto Sr., 55, of 60 Washington St., was immediately transported to Salem Hospital where he underwent surgery shortly after the noontime shooting inside his home. He is expected to survive.Peabody Police Chief Robert Champagne said an officer-involved shooting is his department’s worst-case scenario.”This becomes the worst nightmare for everybody here when something like this happens. We never want to see people ? have to use a firearm,” Champagne said.Three officers responded to apartment No. 2 at 60 Washington St. shortly after 12 p.m. when police received a 911 call from Noto’s wife, who was identified by neighbors as Ellen Noto. The couple lives in the apartment with their son Phillip Jr. while their second son Paul lives in an adjoining apartment with a woman and their infant child, multiple neighbors said. Both sons are in their mid-20s.The apartment is located above Kari’s Hair Design, a unisex salon located on the first floor that was closed Monday afternoon.Ellen Noto had taken out an emergency restraining order on her husband Sunday night. The shooting happened when police were about to arrest him for violating the order.Champagne said two patrolmen and a sergeant responded to the domestic violence call, per department protocol that requires a supervisor to respond to domestic disputes.”The officers confronted Mr. Noto. He had what appeared to be a firearm pointed toward the officers,” Champagne said. “One of our officers fired a single shot striking Mr. Noto.”The officer who fired the shot, who Champagne declined to identify but described as a veteran officer with several years on the force, was transported to a hospital to undergo a “critical stress debriefing” evaluation. He was then transported back to the Peabody police station where he spoke with investigators.”We’ve asked the assistance of Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett and the State Police assigned to his office to come in and take a look at this,” Champagne said.Peabody police will also investigate the shooting themselves to make sure “we have met our own professional standards,” Champagne said.The officer is currently on paid leave for at least two days, he said.The chief said the shooting appears to be justified but will wait until an investigation is completed to make a final determination.”I can tell you that, frankly, if in fact a handgun was pointed at someone, then they would have taken appropriate action,” he said.Investigators are examining whether the weapon Noto used was actually a handgun. Champagne said the device appeared to be a starter pistol, such as the guns used to start track meets. He said investigators would examine the Noto’s gun and the ones used by the officers in their investigation.Champagne said, “I think it’s been more than 20 years” since the last time a Peabody officer fired a gun at a suspect.Noto has been charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for pointing the gun the two officers inside the home, as well as violating a restraining order and resisting arrest.SUSPECT HISTORYThe shooting happened after a chain of events beginning with Noto’s initial arrest for threatening to commit a crime against his wife around 5 p.m. Sunday, police said.Officers responded to the home then for a domestic dispute, which ended with Noto being charged with threatening to do her harm. After the incident was quelled, police advised him to not return home Sunday night.In the meantime, his wife Ellen was granted an emergency restraining order by an on-call judge. Noto violated that order by returning to his home Monday, police said.Noto was arraigned on the threats charge Monday morning in Peabody District Court, where Judge James O’Leary ordered him held on $750 cash bail, accord