WESTBORO, Mass. — A 26-year-old suspect is expected to face a judge on Friday morning in connection with the shooting death of a father in Shrewsbury that allegedly followed a confrontation over graffiti.
The suspect, who investigators haven’t identified, is slated to be arraigned in Westboro District Court on charges stemming from the death of a 57-year-old man near Jordan Pond on Thursday morning, according to Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early and Shrewsbury Police Chief Kevin Anderson.
Officers responded to a pathway at Jordan Pond in the area of Edgewater Avenue shortly after 9 a.m. after overhearing gunshots on a 911 call from the victim, who reported being involved in a disturbance in the area, Early and Anderson said during a news conference on Thursday afternoon.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found they found the 911 caller unresponsive on the path and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was rushed to UMass Medical Center, where he died. His name hasn’t been released.
The suspect had fled the scene of the shooting, but was located a short time later, barricaded in a nearby home, after the Shrewsbury Police Department launched a drone in the neighborhood.
A Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Operations team ultimately negotiated a peaceful resolution with the suspect, who surrendered without further incident.
Video shared with Boston 25 News showed the moment the suspect was detained in the street front of a white home that had “Free Palestine,” “BLM,” “GLM,” and “Free Congo” painted on the front.
“It was kind of scary,” said Tomas Casey, a neighborhood resident. “Saw helicopters, some drone flying around, bunch of police officers and cars kind of sectioning off the end of the streets.”
A preliminary investigation indicated that the victim was walking back from dropping off his 6-year-old child at school when he got into a confrontation with the suspect over graffiti, according to Early.
“The gentleman who was shot earlier was walking his child to school and was returning from the school when he interacted with a man,” Early said. “It appeared that the man was doing some type of spray painting. He took a picture of the man, and that started an altercation. The person then had a dispute, and gunshots were heard.”
As a result of the shooting, Anderson immediately ordered residents in the area of Jordan Pond, Edgewater Avenue, and Plainfield Avenue to shelter in place. Officers also secured the campus of the nearby Coolidge School as a precaution.
0 of 21
Those familiar with the area, as well as law enforcement, told Boston 25 that they have had run-ins with the suspect in the past.
John Bissonnette works nearby and said he’s come in contact with the suspect before, including earlier in the week on Tuesday, when he ended up calling the police on him.
“A couple of days ago, I was pulling out of a parking spot right here, and he came flying down into the parking lot. You’re supposed to go 5 miles per hour; he’s going like 50. He almost hit me, and then he almost hit one of the mechanics that works here, and the mechanic said something to him, and he got out of his car and started saying, ‘Don’t disrespect me, mind your own business.’ I backed up to see what was going on, and he came charging at me and yelling at me,” Bissonnette said.
Law enforcement officials also said the suspect is known to them, acknowledging an incident involving a machete in Westboro back in 2022.
Authorties were executing a search warrant at the home where the suspect retreated to on Thursday afternoon. The results of that search weren’t immediately known.
The arraignment will provide further details on the charges, as the community remains shaken by the events on Edgewater Avenue.
An investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
