Massachusetts police dispatcher injured while serving in U.S. Navy during Iran operation

The U.S. military said Sunday that at least three service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded in the Iran operation, while President Donald Trump vowed America will “avenge their deaths.”

The president called the three service members “true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.”

Trump went on to add: “Sadly, there will likely be more, before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more.”

Back here at home in Massachusetts, the Sudbury Police Department has announced that one of their dispatchers, Owen Gerow, who is currently deployed overseas with the U.S. Navy, sustained injuries during the conflict.

“He and his colleagues experienced several missile impacts resulting in minor injuries they are mending,” the police department wrote on Facebook Sunday. “Please keep our military personnel in your thoughts!”

“The Sudbury Police Department is a family, and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support our community has shown for our desk assistant who is currently serving our country,” the department added. “Your encouragement and kind words mean more than you know.”

Sudbury police said they were unable to provide any additional comments related to Gerow’s military service.

Gerow’s father, David Gerow, told the Boston Globe that he had spoken to his son but could not share additional details, either.

“We’re just praying for him to be safe and come home,” David Gerow said. “Just like any other family.”

Local lawmakers say it was inevitable that we’d quickly learn of Americans killed and injured in Iran. The impact of this attack is now really sinking in, especially for Republican State Rep. Steven Xiarhos, who lost his 21-year-old son in 2009 in the War in Afghanistan.

The state legislator fought back tears after learning of the American troops killed in Iran. He’s been praying for families since the U.S. announced its attack on Iran early Saturday morning.

“Right now, this is real and I’m living their nightmares,” he shared. “I’ve never seen my son’s body, nothing. I just saw a flag-draped coffin.”

Xiarhos says he’s not upset with the Trump administration.

“I look at country over politics,” he said. “Today and now It’s about the service men and women that are risking their lives and the families.”

Congressman Seth Moulton, who criticized the Trump administration on Saturday, released a new statement reacting to the news that at least three U.S. service members had been killed in action as of Sunday morning.

“On Saturday morning, Trump shrugged and said casualties ‘often happen in war’, and now they have. Our troops and Gold Star families deserve reverence, not callousness, and it’s not lost on many that Trump has called our troops ‘suckers’ for serving, ‘losers’ for dying, and attacked John McCain for getting captured in war. The very least that our troops and their families deserve is honesty and respect,” Moulton wrote. “As our hearts are with the fallen, and doctors tend to the wounded, it’s time to ensure, going forward, that our great young Americans on the front know why they’re risking their lives in this war of choice against Iran.”

Moulton has not been alone in his criticism of the president, as many local democrats have said they feel Trump’s decision to attack was reckless and brazen.

“This is an unnecessary and illegal war of choice. This war is built on Donald Trump’s lies about nuclear weapons capability of the Iranian government,” Sen. Ed Markey said. “It’s unnecessary. Iran posed no imminent, immediate threat to the United States or our security. This war is going to be a wrecking ball through the Middle East and it must be stopped. We’ve already lost three United States service members. We are mourning with their families.”

Other local democrats have also said they look forward to a vote on the War Powers Resolution this week. Their goal is to stop Trump from acting without congressional approval.

Congressman Stephen Lynch said, “We don’t want boots on the ground in Iran. We want to have a full debate on this as Congress should. We under the Constitution have the power of declaration of war and the president has gone around Congress throughout this process.”

Meanwhile, local politicians continued to react to the news Sunday that U.S. service members had died in the Iran operation. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey called it devastating, extending her deepest condolences to their families and loved ones.

Here’s more social media reaction from local politicians on the U.S. service members killed

Local Iranian community reaction

A lot of emotions are being felt among members of the Iranian Association of Boston, from a sense of relief to fear of what lies ahead.

“Initially, we were happy, all of us were happy,” said Saeed Shafiyan Rad, the president of the Iranian Association of Boston.

He says members desperately want the people of Iran to have a better life and may now be one step closer.

“Maybe this is something that we could celebrate. However, I don’t think that this is gonna be over that soon,” he said. “I don’t wanna lose the lives of the people, both sides. I want peace and prosperity for the Iranian people. And just think about it, if Iran becomes a democracy, Iran becomes a friend of the United States.”