LYNN — More than a dozen law enforcement officers in full tactical gear were concentrated in a normally quiet neighborhood at 178 Ocean St., Wednesday morning.
Lynn Police reported they were assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with a search warrant.
Law enforcement were armed and had an armored car stationed on the scene.
At around 9:15 a.m., two loud bangs could be heard from the area. Area resident Todd Gieg said he heard explosions go off when he was working in his garage.
“I walked out here, this was all set up already, so I suspected the explosion might’ve been flash grenades,” he said.
Lynn Police blocked off a part of Ocean Street from the intersection at Deer Cove Street to the intersection at Prescott Road. The FBI agents on scene reported that the area was secure.
Christian Rodriguez, who lives next door, said that he left for work at around 9 a.m. and there was nothing there yet.
“My tenants texted me at around 9:20 a.m. saying that something happened. That’s when I turned around,” he said.
Rodriguez said he is starting construction on his home soon and some of his tenants thought that the noises and police presence were related to that.
An agent at The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on scene said the operation went smoothly and he was at the location since 6 a.m., keeping an eye on who was going in and out of the house.
According to Kristen Setera, a spokeswoman for the FBI, the FBI was conducting authorized activity that coincides with an ongoing investigation, but could not share any further information.
Family members were seen being escorted into the house by FBI agents to retrieve their dogs and some belongings. According to the ATF agent, there was nobody left in the house besides those family members. FBI agents were seen searching the car in the driveway and entering and exiting the house.
Lynn Police Lt. Michael Kmiec said the FBI is the lead on this investigation, so the Lynn Police Department does not have much information.
“All I know is that they conducted an investigation and that it was at a house on Ocean Street,” he said. “It’s in their (FBI) hands, so they will release whatever they want to release.”
The armored car and heavily-equipped officers left the scene at around 10:20 a.m., when the FBI was seen searching the property and collecting evidence.
The activity drew a crowd, as neighbors and onlookers flocked to the site.
