DA: Lawrence Police Officer Shot Man To Break Up Baseball Bat Attack

LAWRENCE (CBS) - A Lawrence man is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the chest after he was shot by a Lawrence police officer who was working a paid detail at a night club early Monday morning.

The Essex County District Attorney's Office says the officer shot Jose Concepcion, 26, of Lawrence, while attempting to stop him from beating two other men with a baseball bat outside "Club Copa."

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports

Around 1 a.m., Officer William Green issued multiple verbal commands for Concepcion to drop the bat. When Concepcion did not comply, Green fired two rounds from his department issued gun and struck him in the chest, ending the attack.

Concepcion is in stable condition at Lawrence General Hospital, according to the Essex County D.A. He was arraigned in his hospital bed Monday afternoon on two counts of assault with intent to murder and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Judge Emily Karstetter ordered that he be held pending a dangerousness hearing later this week.

The 27 year-old man who was being beaten with the baseball bat, was initially treated at Lawrence General Hospital and  later transferred to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where he is being treated for blunt force trauma to his head and multiple stab wounds to his torso.

The name of that man has not been released.

Green, a seven-year veteran of the department, was placed on administrative leave per protocol.

Ernest Dietrich, lives near Club Copa and says the area has a lot of security cameras and police presence.

"I think it's pretty safe," Dietrich said. "Maybe on Friday nights and Saturday nights at the end of the club it could get kind of hectic. But other than that no."

Staff at Club Copa did not want to comment on the fight and shooting but told WBZ-TV's Bobby Sisk that they've been open almost a year without any problems.

WBZ-TV's Bobby Sisk contributed to this report.