Boston police and State Police responded near the Christian Science Center for a report of a man wearing a ski mask carrying a gun in his backpack. Police with guns drawn formed a perimeter and blocked off cars and pedestrians. As the State Police cleared, a Globe photographer pointed out a man, matching the description, to the trooper. The suspect was handcuffed. (Sept. 14, 2011)

People waiting in a food line on the Boston Common in the early morning left the line and rushed to receive blankets distributed by Operation Fleece. Maria Farragher of Upton, who started Operation Fleece, has driven with her family into Boston on the morning of Christmas Eve for seven years to hand out fleece blankets to the needy. (Dec. 24, 2011)

Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis grimaced as he covered second base, taking a throw from Jed Lowrie. The Angels' Peter Bourjos crashed into him. Youkillis lost control of the ball on the collision. (May 5, 2011)

Tom Willis of San Diego, born without arms and hands, threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park with his bare foot. This is the 12th Major League Baseball field where he has thrown out the first pitch. (July 5, 2011)

Dean Soucie of Oliver Ames High School in North Easton watched the award ceremony after his team lost to Concord Carlisle in the High School Super Bowl in Foxborough. (Dec. 3, 2011)

The Boston Red Sox introduced their new manager, Bobby Valentine, at a press conference at Fenway Park. He slid down a railing in the stands outside the State Street Pavilion. (Dec. 1, 2011)

The hands of 86-year-old Doris Neal from Dorchester rested on her pocketbook as she listened to speeches during Adult Health Advocacy Day in the Gardner Auditorium at the State House. People gathered to bring attention to budget cuts made to programs affecting 11,000 elders and disabled adults. (March 22, 2011)

Eleanor Norris, 100 years old, at her Norwell home, is known for her generous contributions to help preserve open spaces in town. (Dec. 6, 2011)

The noon sun made shadows on the arched steps at Center Plaza in Government Center. (Aug. 3, 2011)

South Shore Plaza's annual diaper derby, where babies ages 7 to 15 months compete in crawling and walking races, brought Samantha Feigen, 1, of Franklin to the competition. She stalled out at the halfway mark. (March 26, 2011)

A tufted titmouse was perched in an oak tree as the moon rose at dusk in a Pembroke backyard. (May 13, 2011)

A devastating tornado moved though Monson causing widespread destruction. Brenda Newton hugged her neighbor, Laura Yarbrough, whose Stewart Avenue home was flattened by the storm. (June 2, 2011)

Homeowners went through belongings of what remained of a Stewart Avenue home after a devastating tornado caused widespread destruction in Monson. (June 2, 2011)

Zoraida Sanchez stood in a second floor room filled with attic insulation in Springfield’s Hickory Street projects. The crib held her grandson, Nathan, 4 months, when the tornado hit, but the baby was not injured. (June 3, 2011)

Deborah Alezandar and her daughter-in-law, Valerie, went through belongings on the second floor of their home on Eastern Avenue in Springfield after the tornado. (June 3, 2011)

Residents of Monson walked down Main Street in the early morning hours after the devastating tornado. (June 2, 2011)

Michelle Phipps cried at her Stewart Avenue home, which was completely leveled by the tornado. A neighbor, Rate Curtis, tried to console her. (June 2, 2011)

The steeple of the First Church of Monson Congregational lay on the ground, the clock frozen at the time the tornado hit. Suzanne Kelley, chairman of the board of trustees for the church, surveyed the damage. (June 2, 2011)

Wanda Velasquez and her nephew, Fernando Marin-Merced, 17, carried belongings recovered from their destroyed Clark Street family home. (June 3, 2011)

Joey Yarbrough cried while being comforted by a neighbor, Jennifer Silva, as a rescue crew searched the remains of his Stewart Avenue home for his dog, Riley. Riley was found under some rubble. (June 2, 2011)

A homeowner sifted through belongings from the shell of a second-floor home on Heritage Lane. (June 2, 2011)

Daniell Thraser gave documents to Nicole Brike that she found in her boyfriend's destroyed family home. (June 2, 2011)

A tattered flag hung from a destroyed home on Eastern Avenue in Springfield. (June 3, 2011)

Funeral services for Peabody firefighter James M. Rice held at St. John The Baptist Church, brought hundreds of firefighters to pay their respects. Rice's best friend, Peabody Fire Department Captain Jay Dowling, carried Rice's helmet through Peabody Square. Rice was killed while battling a three-alarm house fire in West Peabody. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Alex White, 8, and his friend, Paige Biscaia, 6, both from Salem, were allowed to stand in front of firefighters as they saluted the fallen firefighter in Peabody Square. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Danvers firefighters lined the top of their aerial ladder tuck, displaying a huge American flag, during services for Peabody firefighter James M. Rice in Peabody Square. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Firefighters saluted as Rice's casket was carried in the back of the fire truck he was assigned to. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Funeral service attendees stood solemly on the steps of the church to watch the approaching procession. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Pallbearers load Rice's casket onto the back of Engine 5 following funeral services for the fallen firefighter. (Dec. 30, 2011)

The fallen firefighter’s son Ryan, 8, and wife, Amy, watched as his casket was brought into the church. (Dec. 30, 2011)

A Massachusetts state trooper kept a funeral program with a photograph of Rice on the inside of his hat during the funeral service. (Dec. 30, 2011)

A sea of firefighters saluted the casket of fallen firefighter Jim Rice in front of the church at the end of funeral services. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Engine 5, carrying the casket of firefighter Jim Rice, left the church at the end of services. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Fans celebrated at TD Garden after the Boston Bruins fought their way through a long post season , defeating the Flyers, the Lightning, the Canadiens, and the Canucks, to win the 2011 Stanley Cup. (April 14, 2011)

Bruin Brad Marchand jumped into the arms of teammates Tomas Kaberle and Mark Recchi after his third-period goal put the Bruins ahead 1-0 in game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. (April 23, 2011)

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas waved to fans following an overtime win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. (April 27, 2011)

Nathan Horton of the Bruins checked Montreal's P.K. Subban into the boards in second period action of Game 7 in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. (April 27, 2011)

Nathan Horton lay on the ice, injured by a first period hit by Vancouver's Aaron Rome, who skated past Horton. Horton was removed on a stretcher, suffering a concussion. (June 6, 2011)

The Bruins' bench celebrated as time ran out in the third period, beating Tampa 1-0, during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. (May 27, 2011)

Brad Marchand of the Bruins fought with Vancouver's Keith Ballard late in third period action during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. (June 8, 2011)

Dennis Seidenberg of the Bruins and Vancouver's Ryan Kesler fought in third-period action in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. (June 6, 2011)

Boston Bruins' fans celebrated the Stanley Cup championship during a rolling duck boat rally on Boylston Street. (June 18, 2011)

Kostas Klokelis, of Framingham, saluted the players riding in duck boats during the rolling rally from the Karmloop office on Boylston Street where he works. (June 18, 2011)

Patrice Bergeron held the Stanley Cup trophy over his head before the banner-raising ceremony. (Oct 6, 2011)

The Boston Bruins' championship banner was raised during a ceremony on the TD Garden ice. (Oct. 6, 2011)