Supporters of a Boston police officer, who has been charged in the shooting death of a carjacking suspect, have come together to raise over $400,000 through an online fundraiser aimed at helping him and his family.
As of Monday afternoon, Nicholas O’Malley’s crowdfunding page had accumulated $414,000. O’Malley, who hails from Randolph, Massachusetts, faces a charge of voluntary manslaughter after allegedly killing 39-year-old Stephenson King without valid grounds for self-defense or defending others.
He has entered a not guilty plea regarding the March 11 incident. It seems a fellow officer initiated the fundraiser.
The GoFundMe page indicates that “the O’Malley family is facing an incredibly difficult time due to unforeseen circumstances, and they need our support now more than ever.” They emphasize that with two young children relying on them, the financial future of the family is quite uncertain.
According to police reports, a woman claimed she was in the passenger seat while King, the suspect, later assaulted her and drove off with the vehicle. Upon responding to the theft, O’Malley, 33, and another officer confronted the vehicle, instructing King to stop. Although King partially opened his window—being aware of his long criminal record—he didn’t comply fully.
“Bro, I’m going to shoot you,” O’Malley reportedly warned, after which King attempted to flee by diving into O’Malley’s cruiser. It was then that O’Malley allegedly fired three shots into the driver’s side window, striking King fatally.
Some officials from the Boston City Council have urged caution against quick judgments. City Councilor John Fitzgerald stated, “When an officer takes a moment of decisive action during a violent encounter with a known violent criminal… we cannot jump to the conclusion that this was done with malice or without taking the necessary steps.” Meanwhile, City Councilor Erin Murphy has called for the disclosure of police body camera footage, referencing King’s criminal background.
As Murphy noted, “None of us were there at that moment, and none of us had to make the split-second decisions that come with such a dangerous and rapidly changing situation.”
Efforts to connect with O’Malley’s attorney were made for further comments.
