Father killed in squabble over graffiti in Shrewsbury; suspect to face charges Friday
A 26-year-old man who authorities say shot and killed a father who'd just dropped off their six-year-old at school in Shrewsbury Thursday morning is set to face charges on Friday in Westborough District Court.
Authorities declined to identify the suspect or the 57-year-old victim Thursday evening, but said earlier that the suspect "is known" to police. They have not specified what charges have been filed against the suspect or whether he knew the victim, but said that a confrontation over graffiti the suspect was spraying near Jordan Pond preceded the killing.
Shrewsbury police first responded to the incident shortly before 8:50 a.m. Thursday after the victim called 911 to report an altercation near Jordan Pond, Shrewsbury Police Chief Kevin Anderson said during a Thursday afternoon press conference.
Authorities later learned that the victim had just walked their child to a nearby school when he confronted the suspect, who was spray-painting something near the pond, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said during the press conference. The victim then took a picture of the suspect, and this sparked a fight between the two men.
While police were on their way to the scene, the dispatcher — who was still on the call with the victim — heard gunshots over the phone, authorities said. The victim stopped responding to the dispatcher following the gunfire.
When police got to the scene, they found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said. He was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where he died of his injuries.
The suspect ran away from the scene, sparking a large police search in the area involving Auburn, Boylston, Grafton, Northborough, Westborough and Massachusetts State Police, authorities said in a press release Thursday evening . A short time later, Shrewsbury police located the suspect inside a nearby home using drones.
Eventually, the suspect surrendered himself to police after communicating with the State Police Tactical Operations Team, authorities said. The suspect came out of a home at 29 Edgewater Ave. in Shrewsbury, which is covered in spray-painted slogans such as "Ganga Gardens," "Free Palestine," "Free Congo" and "BLM," WCVB reported .
Police later executed a search warrant at the home, Early said previously. The suspect did not have a license to carry.
No further information about the incident has been released.
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