NATION BRIEFS

MASSACHUSETTS/Water undrinkable after pipe bursts

A "catastrophic" break yesterday in a 10-foot-wide steel pipe that had been installed in recent years rendered water in Boston and more than two dozen of its suburbs undrinkable, forcing Gov. Deval Patrick to declare a state of emergency. The state issued a boil-water order for drinking water in the 30 affected communities, which include 2 million people in 700,000 households. Massachusetts Water Resources Authority head Fred Laskey says he hopes it can be fixed in "days, not weeks." It wasn't immediately clear if the order would remain in affect until the repairs were complete.

MINNESOTA/Officer killed in ambush

A suburban St. Paul police officer was killed during an ambush Saturday, setting off a massive manhunt that ended with one suspect dead and another in custody, authorities said. Maplewood Police Sgt. Joseph Bergeron, 49, was fatally shot while responding to a reported carjacking Saturday morning. Nearly four hours after the shooting, a man darted out of the woods and an officer tried to question him. The two scuffled, and authorities said the officer shot the man multiple times. Police said the 21-year-old man was one of the suspects. About two hours later, police closed in on the second suspect at a nearby apartment. The man tried to commit suicide, but was taken into custody with nonlife threatening injuries, authorities said.

CALIFORNIA/Student sues police for $6 million

A Vietnamese university student whose violent arrest was captured on videotape filed a lawsuit accusing San Jose police of using excessive force. Phuong Ho, 21, said police had no reason to use a stun gun and hit him with a baton more than a dozen times during his Sept. 3 arrest on suspicion of brandishing a deadly weapon and resisting arrest. Ho, a student at California State University, San Jose, was unarmed. Prosecutors have declined to file charges against the officers. The charges against Ho have also been dropped. The lawsuit seeks $6 million in damages. City and police officials declined to comment.

TENNESSEE/Storms, flooding kill at least 5

At least five people died and hundreds were being evacuated Saturday as heavy rains pounded Tennessee, causing widespread flooding across the state. Hundreds of homes had been evacuated and shelters were being opened statewide. Memphis received at least 10 inches during the day and officials were warning that 4 to 8 more inches could fall overnight and into Sunday.