11 people in custody after armed group causes partial closure of I-95 in Massachusetts

WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Massachusetts state police say nine suspects have been taken into custody following an hourslong standoff that prompted the partial closure of Interstate 95.

Police say the suspects include two people who were arrested earlier on Saturday.

The standoff shut down a portion of I-95 for much of the morning, causing major traffic problems during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Authorities say all the roads that were closed have been reopened, although slowdowns in the area can be expected.

According to the Associated Press, the standoff began around 2 a.m. when police noticed two cars pulled over on I-95 with hazard lights on after they had apparently run out of fuel.

They encountered between eight to 10 men were in military-style gear with long guns and pistols. They told police were headed to Maine from Rhode Island for “training.” They did not comply with police orders to put down their weapons and later retreated into the woods nearby.

It’s unclear what the motivations of the group are, but police said the group’s leader wanted it made known that they are not “anti-government.”

“I think the investigation that follows from this interaction will provide us more insight into what their motivation, what their ideology is,” a police official said Saturday morning, according to the Associated Press.

Police and prosecutors have not yet determined what charges the suspects will face, but Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said she expected that all the suspects would be appearing in court on Tuesday.

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