The Burlington Mall was evacuated and closed for more than two hours as a police SWAT team wearing body armour and carrying shields searched for an armed man. State police said they had received two calls about a short white man with a grey shirt and a backpack who was carrying what appeared to be a rifle.
It turned out the man was an employee of the Lahey Clinic, a nearby hospital, who had stopped at the mall before work and was carrying an umbrella. State police and the clinic said the man called police as soon as he realized he fitted the description of the person being sought. Police questioned him and determined he was not a threat.
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"The male does not have a weapon. He was reportedly holding an umbrella," state police said in a statement. "Witnesses and surveillance footage confirm that this is the person who was seen in the mall." In a statement, the clinic said the employee "is pleased he took appropriate action and contacted the police, however, he feels terrible about the situation."
The hospital would not identify the man and said he asked that the media respect his privacy.
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