A Boston man who was killed Wednesday evening in a shootout that left two police officers in critical condition claimed on his website that he served eight years as an Army Reserve military police soldier, but he never even attended basic training, Army Times has learned.
Kirk Figueroa, 33, was wearing tactical body armor and armed with an unlicensed rifle that he shot at the police officers responding to a 911 call that he was threatening his roommate with a knife, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.
The officers, Richard Cintolo and Matt Morris, were hospitalized in extreme critical condition, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said at a news conference Thursday morning.
Figueroa, founder of Code Blue Protection Corp., claimed on his company's website, www.elitepolicing.org, he served nearly a decade as an MP, but he served a mere five months, according to an Army spokesman.
"Mr. Figueroa never attended basic training or advanced individual training. He did enlist in the U.S. Army Reserve in February 2003, but received a hardship discharge five months later," Wayne Hall said in a statement.
The shooter also touted his experience as a Boston constable, a law enforcement program that allows trained and sworn-in members to carry out arrests and serve legal documents. He also described himself as a West Virginia corrections officer, trained private investigator and California bounty hunter.
Figueroa was killed when the sound of gunfire prompted back-up officers to enter his home. Nine other officers were treated for trauma and injuries, AP reported.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
