Plymouth County Deputy Sheriff Who Ended Taunton Rampage Identified

TAUNTON (CBS) – The off-duty Plymouth County Deputy Sheriff who killed a man on a stabbing rampage in Taunton has been identified.

Deputy James Creed fatally shot Arthur DaRosa at the Bertucci's inside the Silver City Galleria mall Tuesday evening.

Investigators say DaRosa stabbed two people at a home in Taunton, drove to the mall, crashed the car into the Macy's entrance and assaulted people there before stabbing more people inside the Bertucci's.

Two people died in the attacks.

Patricia Slavin, 80, was killed in her home. George Heath, 56, was stabbed to death in Bertucci's.

Creed ended the rampage when he shot DaRosa once in the abdomen.

"As an academy-trained officer, he discharged a single round from his personal firearm, bringing the attack to an end," said Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, Jr. in a statement released Wednesday. "He then remained at the scene to render aid to the victims and Mr. DaRosa."

DaRosa was taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital, where he died.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn praised Creed at a news conference Wednesday.

"He was also having dinner when confronted by this extraordinarily violent and dangerous situation. He reacted in a professional but heroic manner by taking the only course of conduct that was available to him at that time. He prevented further carnage from occurring with his actions," Quinn said.

"On a personal level, understandably I am proud of Deputy Creed, his heroic actions and his ability to apply his professional training and restraint in an obviously traumatic and perilous situation," McDonald said in a statement.

Creed's longtime neighbor praised his actions. "He's a true gentleman I could see him stepping right up to the plate and taking care of business," Ron Davenport said. "He's that type of guy."

Creed is a member of the K-9 unit. He has been with that unit since 2007. He joined the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department in 2005.