LYNN — A retired police lieutenant has been arrested after allegedly brandishing a gun and kicking over live fireworks at a children’s graduation party Saturday night, according to the Lynn Police Department.
John Scannell, 65, of Lynn, was arrested Saturday and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a licensed firearm while intoxicated.
Scannell worked for the Lynn Police Department for nearly 35 years before his retirement in the spring. When The Item knocked on his door Monday afternoon, he answered, but declined comment.
According to the Essex County District Attorney’s office, Scannell was released on personal recognizance and is scheduled to be arraigned through Lynn District Court July 17.
Nakiba Nelson, of 82 Birch St., said the incident happened during a joint graduation party she was hosting for her two children, who are moving on from the fifth and eighth grade.
When the group, which included about 15 boys and girls, was outside watching fireworks, Nelson said Scannell walked down the street and disrupted the party by kicking over a live firework in the middle of the street.
His alleged actions caused a safety hazard, Nelson said, because the fireworks were already in motion when he kicked them over. Scannell seemed intoxicated, she said, and didn’t give any notice before showing up.
“Everyone started running because the kids were screaming,” said Nelson. “He had a gun, so from there it was just a matter of trying to get to safety. That was the initial response.”
At one point, Nelson said Scannell started waving the gun, and she feared the situation would escalate.
Nelson’s niece, Lhyeshia Robinson, 26, who attended the party, said Scannell started reprimanding her uncle after kicking over the fireworks, telling him to shut them down.
After the two “bumped chests,” Robinson said Scannell fell, got up, cocked his gun and then pointed it at them.
“It was beyond (scary),” said Robinson. “For you to be intoxicated, a retired sergeant, and feel that it was appropriate to kick over a live firework — that goes beyond everything you were trained. You should know better.”
Robinson said her young cousin, who is about 5 years old, has a little scar on her body from where she was hit by part of a firework.
The two women also said they took issue with how Lynn Police handled the incident.
When police initially arrived, Nelson said there appeared to be no repercussions for Scannell. He wasn’t disarmed when police confirmed that he had the gun and remained on scene for about “30-40 minutes” before he was arrested, she said.
“We weren’t okay with that,” said Nelson. “I don’t think it was appropriate. There was a lapse in time where anything could have occurred.”
It wasn’t until the next set of officers arrived that Scannell was disarmed and taken into custody, Nelson said.
Both women feel that Scannell was treated differently because of his former position. For example, they said Scannell was allowed to verbally verify that he had a license to carry and responding officers told the family he was a retired police officer.
“I said: had there been an indication that someone in my party had a gun, we would have been face down on the ground and asking questions later,” said Nelson. “One of the officers said you shouldn’t have had fireworks. I said no, no that does not negate what he did.”
Nelson claims that the fireworks were set off by a neighbor and that the kids at her party started gathering out front when they started to go off.
But she doesn’t feel that should be the focus.
During the incident, Nelson said that she and her guests at the party feared for their lives.
“I just don’t want this swept under the rug because of his position,” said Nelson.
Police Lt. Michael Kmiec said the Lynn Police Department had no comment on the incident, but did provide details from the report.
He said police responded to the Birch Street address shortly before 9 p.m. on a disturbance call.
“There were fireworks being lit off on Birch Street,” said Kmiec. “Allegedly Scannell went out to speak with the group and eventually he kicked over some fireworks that were being lit or had just been lit off. There was some type of altercation that followed that and at some point, he had a firearm on him and it looks like he possibly brandished that firearm.”
