Massachusetts police have launched an urgent search for a man considered potentially armed and dangerous after his mother was found fatally shot inside the kitchen of her suburban home.
Andria Hanafin, 49, was discovered dead at her residence in Reading, Massachusetts, during the early hours of Thursday.
Authorities believe her 22-year-old son, Ryan Hanafin, may have fled. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan identified him as a person of interest in the shooting.
At a press conference, the district attorney urged residents to exercise “extreme caution” if they see Hanafin, warning that he may be armed and dangerous.
Investigators have not recovered the firearm used in the killing. Officials said Ryan Hanafin held a valid gun license, but it was suspended Thursday morning after the shooting was reported.
Police said Hanafin may be traveling in a black 2010 Dodge Charger bearing Massachusetts license plate 2PSY15.
Officials said Andria was found by her husband, Matthew, shortly after midnight Thursday when he arrived home from a 12-hour work shift.
Andria was pronounced dead at the scene. Ryan said investigators currently believe the case stems from domestic violence, though she noted it does not fit the conventional understanding of a domestic violence incident.
Authorities are urgently searching for Ryan Hanafin, 22, after his mother was found shot to death inside their Reading, Massachusetts, home on Thursday
Andria Hanafin, 49, a mother of three, was found dead in the early hours of Thursday after an apparent dispute with her son
The district attorney said investigators believe the fatal shooting followed a dispute between Andria Hanafin and her son.
“It is a moment of reflection about the presence of guns in a home,” she said. “It is shocking. It is tragic.”
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The Hanafin family has three children. Their youngest, a 13-year-old, was home when the 911 call was placed, according to Ryan. Another child, a daughter, was attending college when the shooting occurred.
Matthew Hanafin told police he had last seen Ryan on Wednesday morning. He later left for his shift and returned home to find his wife fatally wounded.
According to the Boston Globe, Ryan Hanafin was most recently employed about six months ago and had previously attended a nearby university.
Residents should expect a substantial police presence in the Reading suburb as officers search for the suspect
Police said Matthew Hanafin found his wife, Andria, dead after returning from a 12-hour shift; their son is being sought as a person of interest
Authorities warned residents to use “extreme caution” around Ryan Hanafin, 22, who may be armed and dangerous
Police said the family had no known history of prior visits from authorities before Thursday evening’s shooting
Reading Police Chief David Clark said the community should prepare for a continued heavy law enforcement presence while investigators process the scene and continue their search for Hanafin.
Police ‘are looking to find out what happened at that home last night,’ Clark said, adding that the family had no history of visits from the police before Thursday evening.
‘We have two children now that have lost their mother. We have another child who’s at least a person of interest at this point,’ Ryan continued.
‘So this is a first and foremost a terrible tragedy… We certainly don’t want a tragedy to be compounded by anything else.’