# Man shot after police standoff



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Man shot after police standoff in Plymouth; Disdaining warnings, he's wounded in hand*









*A man walks in front of a house on Derby Station Road in Plymouth, where a man was shot by police Friday during a domestic disturbance. (LISA BUL/The Patriot Ledger)*

_By KAREN GOULART
The Patriot Ledger_

PLYMOUTH - A quiet wooded street near the Carver town line became the scene of a police standoff that ended in gunfire Friday morning.

Ralph Graffam, 73, was shot in the hand by a Plymouth Police patrol supervisor after Graffam pointed a rifle at officers outside his home at 25 Derby Station Road. police said.

At 11 a.m., police responded to a call from Graffam's 72-year-old wife, who said she had just run from their home because Graffam tried to strangle her. The woman met officers on the street and was unharmed, Plymouth Police Capt. Michael Botieri said.

Botieri said officers saw Graffam was armed when they went to the door to coax him outside.

''When the officers approached the house (Graffam) was standing with a rifle in the doorway,'' Botieri said. ''We staked a position and tried to get him out.''

Botieri said Graffam was asked repeatedly to drop the weapon.

During the incident, Graffam also brandished a knife, police said. Officers witnessed what they believe was a self-inflicted knife-wound on his neck.

Botieri said when Graffam finally left the house, he raised the rifle to his shoulder and pointed it at one of the officers. That officer dove for cover, police said, and the patrol supervisor fired one round from his patrol rifle, hitting Graffam's rifle and hand.

Police said Graffam then returned to the house and fell down in the doorway.

Botieri said the name of the officer who fired at Graffam is not being released at this time.

Graffam was treated at the scene and taken to Jordan Hospital. He was later taken by helicopter to a Boston hospital.

Botieri said Graffam's injuries do not appear to be life threatening.

The entire incident lasted for about an hour, Botieri said.

Massachusetts State Police assisted Plymouth detectives with the crime scene.

Graffam will be charged with assault and battery and assault with a dangerous weapon.

_Karen Goulart may be reached at [email protected]._

Copyright 2005 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Saturday, November 26, 2005


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## Piper (Nov 19, 2004)

*Plymouth Police shooting*

*Plymouth man shot by cop
*By *O'Ryan Johnson*
Saturday, November 26, 2005

*A* Plymouth man's bid to hold police at bay with a hunting rifle ended yesterday when a cop fired a bullet into the man's hand.


With his home surrounded by police, Ralph Graffam, 73, marched out and shouldered his rifle - taking aim at a police officer who dove for cover as a shot cracked. It turned out it was the officer's patrol supervisor who'd fired, striking Graffam's hand and rifle.

The sniping senior ran back into his home, collapsing in the doorway where he was arrested and later flown to a Boston hospital.

The standoff began about 11 a.m. when Graffam's 72-year-old wife called police saying he'd attempted to strangle her. Graffam is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Kudos to that PPD Sgt, he just may have saved his brother officers life!


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## Sarge31 (May 1, 2004)

*Re: Plymouth Police shooting*

Sounds like nice work by the PPD officers. 
I grew up in Plymouth and graduated the academy with a few Plymouth guys. Anyone know the names of the officers involved? Send me a PM. Thanks


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## soxrock75 (Jul 26, 2004)

*Re: Plymouth Police shooting*

Excellent work by the PPD!!!!

Let's hope that the Officers involved don't get second guessed and torn apart in the press!


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## Eamonn Wright (Nov 1, 2005)

*Re: Plymouth Police shooting*

The Plymouth shooter was a PS, and he shot the guy with an AR-15, no less! 5.56mm goodness! One of their guys told me the old goat's rifle took the brunt of the round and was blown to bits. He should thank his lucky stars his cranial vault wasn't cleaned out.


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## kokid (Oct 24, 2005)

*Re: Plymouth Police shooting*

Just re-enforces that domestics are one of the most dangerous calls we handle and that you can never totally assume that just b/c someone doesn't look like a threat or capable of hurting us, they can if we let our guard down.


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## VTCOP (May 2, 2002)

*Re: Plymouth Police shooting*



kokid said:


> Just re-enforces that domestics are one of the most dangerous calls we handle and that you can never totally assume that just b/c someone doesn't look like a threat or capable of hurting us, they can if we let our guard down.


I agree 100%. Although a great shot by the supervisor, I hope none of these numb-nutt liberals up here see this, we had the barre shooting, and people are writing letters saying that if we can't shoot extremities then we shouldn't be cops.


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

*Re: Plymouth Police shooting*



VTCOP said:


> I agree 100%. Although a great shot by the supervisor, I hope none of these numb-nutt liberals up here see this, we had the barre shooting, and people are writing letters saying that if we can't shoot extremities then we shouldn't be cops.


You've got to be kidding! And I thought people in California were liberal!


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## Irish Wampanoag (Apr 6, 2003)

Plymouth has had their fair share of nuts lately. The department has reponded to some deadly/dangerous incidents in the last few years. I guess they would since they are the largest city/town (area) in Massachusetts.


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