Contact: Beth Stone (508) 584-8120
BROCKTON – The investigation is ongoing after the apparent suicide of a man
in Rochester, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Rochester Police
Chief Paul H. Magee have announced.
On Tuesday, at approximately 8:30 pm, State Police Detectives assigned to the
Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office were notified of the apparent suicide by
firearm of a 57-year-old male in Rochester. The man, who is from Acushnet, is not being
identified at this time. State Police responded to the 300 block of Braley Hill Road in
Rochester, where the male was found. An investigation by Rochester Police and State
Police Detectives determined that the man had been involved in incidents occurring
earlier in the day in New Bedford and Acushnet. Police were contacted and no one was
injured in those incidents.
At approximately 6:30 pm on Tuesday, the man drove his truck to the 300 block
of Braley Hill Road in Rochester, where he drove over the lawn, struck a telephone pole
and entered the residence, which was the home of a relative. Inside, the male threatened a
family member and fired a round off inside the home before exiting. The man was in the
process of driving his truck around the yard on Braley Hill Road when Rochester and
Freetown Police officers arrived on scene. The man exited his truck, a black Toyota
Tundra, holding two handguns and asked officers to shoot him. Officers repeatedly asked
the man to drop his weapons. Police observed the man walk around the yard and his truck
before he fired one shot into the passenger side door of his truck. The man again
approached officers and requested that they shoot him. Officers from Rochester and
Freetown remained in tactical position and repeatedly asked the man to drop his weapons.
The man turned his gun on himself and fired. Rochester Fire and emergency medical
services arrived on scene and determined the man deceased at 6:45 pm.
As part of the investigation, several witness interviews were conducted. No shots
were fired by Rochester and Freetown Police Officers and the officers showed restraint
and professionalism throughout the incident.
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has accepted jurisdiction and will
determine the cause and manner of death.
The incident remains under investigation by State Police Detectives assigned to
the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Rochester Police.
###