Police sergeant found dead in car after allegedly shooting Beverly police officer

By Amanda Cedrone and Derek Anderson, Globe Correspondents

BEVERLY — A Hamilton police sergeant was found dead inside his sport utility vehicle late last night in an apparent suicide, hours after he allegedly shot and seriously wounded a Beverly police officer, officials said.

A late-night police search culminated back at the scene of the first shooting, outside a Starbucks off Route 1A in Beverly, where the body of Sergeant Ken Nagy was discovered in his Saab SUV.

‘‘He has taken his life,’’ said Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett. ‘‘It is a tragic day.’’

Police initially responded to the Starbucks at 29 Enon St. at 5:48 p.m., where they found Beverly police Officer Jason Lantych wounded, Blodgett said at a news conference last night.

Lantych was taken to Beverly Hospital, where he underwent surgery for ‘‘very serious injuries,’’ Blodgett said. He said Lantych remained in serious condition after the operation.

After the shooting, police began searching for Nagy, who they believed shot Lantych. Blodgett said Nagy was off-duty at the time.

Blodgett did not describe the circumstances that brought the two men together last night, but he said ‘‘we believe they knew each other.’’

Around 10:30 p.m., Nagy returned to the Starbucks parking lot and shot and killed himself while inside his vehicle, said Carrie Kimball-Monahan, spokeswoman for the district attorney.

Dozens of police officers and emergency medical personnel were gathered at a parking lot behind the Starbucks early this morning as authorities continued their investigation. The lot was roped off.

Before Nagy’s body was discovered, the district attorney described him as ‘‘armed and dangerous.’’

According to a July 3 article on the Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle’s website, Nagy was promoted to sergeant last summer after 19 years on the force. The Chronicle said Nagy’s wife, Katie, pinned her husband’s sergeant badge onto his uniform in a July 1 ceremony as his two sons looked on.

A call to Nagy’s wife was not immediately returned. Other relatives reached by telephone last night declined comment.