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DA's office investigating NH man shot by police officer in Lawrence

LAWRENCE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- The Essex County District Attorney's office is assisting Mass. State Police in investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened while investigators responded to reports of a loud party in Lawrence Saturday.

When officers arrived to 131 Bennington Street just after 5 a.m., they observed a 1995 Honda Civic driving in an erratic manner. Police officers at the scene say the driver, later identified as 20-year-old Alexander Castro, of Salem, N.H., drove toward them and collided with one of their cruisers.

During the incident, Officer John Tully shot a single round. Castro was able to escape, but was later found at his Salem, N.H. home after police traced his license plate information.

When officers arrived to the home to question Castro, they learned he sustained a gunshot wound to his buttocks. He was transported to Lawrence General Hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Boston with what are considered non-life threatening injuries.

Castro is expected to be arraigned on assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, operating to endanger, and failure to stop for a police officer charges when he is released from the hospital.

Officer Tully has been placed on administrative leave as officials investigate the use of force, which is standard procedure for such cases.

Saturday's incident was the third police-involved shooting in the state this week. The first happened on Wednesday when a South Boston man reportedly aimed a pellet gun at police who mistakenly believed it was a real handgun. A New Bedford man was fatally shot by a Mass. State Police trooper in Quincy Friday. Both cases are also under investigation.