Guest critically wounded and suspected shooter dead after overnight chaos at Sturbridge hotel
STURBRIDGE, Mass. — A vehicle crashed into a hotel, gunfire erupted, and a guest was left fighting for his life during a chaotic early-morning incident in Sturbridge that ended with the suspected shooter dead, authorities said.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, officers from the Sturbridge Police Department, Southbridge Police Department, and Massachusetts State Police responded to reports of a vehicle being driven into the Sturbridge Plaza Hotel at 400 Haynes Street.
Additional reports indicated shots had been fired into the hotel, striking a guest.
According to investigators, preliminary findings suggest the suspect drove to the hotel while attempting to locate two individuals known to her.
Responding officers found a hotel guest suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to Harrington Hospital before being airlifted to UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Lakeside Campus.
Authorities said the victim remains in critical condition.
Investigators do not currently believe the wounded guest was one of the two individuals the suspect had been seeking.
Officials said two police officers and a Massachusetts State Police trooper made contact with the suspect and attempted to communicate with her.
During that encounter, the suspect discharged her firearm again, resulting in what investigators described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Emergency medical personnel provided extensive life-saving measures, including the use of a LUCAS mechanical CPR device, but the suspect was pronounced dead.
Authorities have not released the names of either the suspect or the injured victim.
The investigation remains active and is being conducted by the Sturbridge Police Department, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, State Police Crime Scene Services, the Crash and Reconstruction Section, the Firearms Identification Section, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Key Points
- A vehicle crashed into the Sturbridge Plaza Hotel before shots were fired into the building.
- A hotel guest was struck by gunfire and remains in critical condition.
- The suspected shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after contact with police.