Tewksbury Police Safely Locate Violent Escapee from State Hospital

Patient had three prior incidents of leaving grounds.

Chief Ryan Columbus reports that the Tewksbury Police Department safely located a violent person who escaped from Tewksbury State Hospital earlier today.

At approximately 9.45 a.m., Tewksbury Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Chandler and Livingston streets after receiving a call from the Tewksbury State Hospital that a court-committed patient was missing.

Officers were advised that, if not located, the missing patient was a danger to both themselves and the community, and that the patient had a history of violence, including fire setting, sexual assault and numerous assaults and batteries, including assaults on the elderly.

The individual is well-known to Tewksbury Police, having escaped from the hospital on three prior occasions.

Officers activated a drone unit and, within 20 minutes, located and apprehended the patient on the train tracks behind Bella Woods Condos on 800 East St., Officers then transported the patient to Saints Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation under Section 12.

A code red notification was not activated by Tewksbury Police due to the quick response and apprehension of the patient.

“I am grateful that officers were immediately relayed the information so that we could track this person down,” said Columbus.