Nearly Killed in 2010 Gunfight, Somerville Officer to Retire

Somerville Police Detective Mario Oliveira, who was shot five times on Nov. 2, 2010, while executing a search warrant, is planning to retire after returning to active duty for just over two years.

A choked-up Oliveira, 43, told the Somerville Board of Aldermen Thursday he had wanted to spend 40 years as a Somerville police officer, but because of the injuries he received in the shooting, "it's been really tough."

"I will always be a Somerville police officer in my heart," he said.

Matthew Krister, who at the time was under investigation for selling firearms to gang members, shot Oliveira five times at close range with a 9mm handgun outside 6 Gibbens St. Oliveira was hit in the chest, stomach and right arm and was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he nearly died. Krister was killed when other law enforcement officers returned fire.

Oliveira spent nine days in the hospital and returned full-time to the police force in March, 2011.

The Board of Aldermen Thursday approved a home rule petition that would give Oliveira a full pension based on what he would have been paid if he were to continue serving on the police force until the mandatory retirement age. 

When he reaches retirement age, it would grant him 80 percent of the salary he made when he was shot. The home rule petition, which needs to be approved by the Massachusetts legislature, would also provide a pension to his wife if he were to die before she does.