SHREWSBURY — A 57-year-old father was fatally shot this morning while walking along a trail near Jordan Pond in Shrewsbury shortly after dropping off his six-year-old son at school.
During a press conference this afternoon, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said the man, who was holding a child’s scooter and helmet, encountered a younger man spray painting on a bridge and took photos of him. The interaction escalated into a confrontation.
At approximately 8:47 a.m., a 911 call was placed reporting a disturbance at the bridge. According to Early, the dispatcher heard gunfire during the call. Responding officers found the man suffering from gunshot wounds. The man was transported to a nearby hospital, but died en route.
DA Early and SPD Chief Anderson speak to reporters about the tragic incident at Jordan Pond in Shrewsbury today. pic.twitter.com/wpthJElxwi
— Evan Walsh (@evanjrwalsh) August 28, 2025
The suspect, a Shrewsbury man with a history of police contact, later turned himself into police. His name has not been released, and no charges had been filed as of Thursday afternoon.
Police initially warned residents to shelter in place and avoid the area around Jordan Pond, Edgewater Avenue, and Plainfield Avenue. Coolidge Elementary, located nearby, was briefly placed on lockdown.
The neighborhood was flooded with first responders, including more than 10 police cruisers, armored SWAT vehicles, fire engines, ambulances, and helicopters, the Community Advocate reported. Police described the suspect as “armed and dangerous” until he was located.
Authorities lifted the shelter-in-place advisory around 10:39 a.m.
