A suspect wanted in connection with a deadly shooting in the town of Berlin died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday evening after a nearly three-hour police standoff that brought Interstate 495 to a standstill in Lowell.
According to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan and Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, the suspect was involved in a fatal shooting earlier Tuesday in Berlin before fleeing the scene.
Investigators said the victim and the suspect, both adult men, knew each other. Authorities have not released the identities of either individual, and the motive for the shooting remains under investigation. Officials confirmed the suspect had a prior criminal history.
The incident began around 3:30 p.m. with reports of a shooting at the Highland Commons shopping center in Berlin. Following the shooting, a witness tracked the suspect’s vehicle and provided information that helped Massachusetts State Police locate the pickup truck on Interstate 495 North near mile marker 91 in Lowell.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside the vehicle, prompting a massive response from state and local law enforcement. Northbound lanes of I-495 were shut down between approximately 4:30 p.m. and 7:20 p.m., causing significant traffic backups and forcing detours as police surrounded the truck in the highway median.
As the standoff continued, tactical teams deployed armored vehicles, a robotic dog, and a drone in an effort to safely assess the situation. The robot dog was used to breach a window, allowing a drone to enter the truck and determine the suspect’s condition.
Authorities later confirmed the suspect had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing the standoff to an end.
The investigation into both the fatal shooting in Berlin and the subsequent highway standoff remains active.
