ERVING — A homicide suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement at the French King Restaurant & Motel late Wednesday night, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Sarah Burgess, a spokesperson with Massachusetts State Police, said in a statement that troopers and officers with the Erving Police Department encountered the suspect at the hotel, located at 129 French King Highway, as part of an out-of-state homicide investigation, during which he was fatally shot.
During a 4 p.m. press conference at the Erving Police Station on Thursday, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office — which is handling the case to avoid any conflicts of interest and to ensure an independent review — identified the individual who was shot and killed as Brandon William Hampson, 55, of New York.
According to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., members of law enforcement in New York State were looking for Hampson because he was suspected of stabbing his former girlfriend to death on Long Island. Suffolk County authorities contacted law enforcement in Massachusetts after investigators discovered that Hampson may be in Erving, and located his vehicle outside the French King Motel & Restaurant.
Hampson’s ex-girlfriend, Rachel Frislid, 62, of Sayville, New York, was found unconscious in her 26 Pearl Court home by a family member, and subsequently pronounced dead, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 3, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
“Following an investigation by Homicide Squad detectives, it was determined Brandon Hampson was responsible for the death of Rachel Frislid,” the Suffolk County Police Department said in a statement, which also asked anyone with information on the case to contact the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392.
Troopers with the Massachusetts State Police and the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force went to the Erving motel, where Early said Hampson was found standing outside smoking a cigarette. According to Early, Hampson was ordered to surrender, at which time he drew a knife from underneath his clothing and “went after several police officers” before being shot.
Early went on to say that Hampson was ordered to drop the knife while he was on the ground, but he got back up and continued to approach officers with the knife still in hand. Officers shot him several more times.
When asked which member of law enforcement fired first, Early said that is still under investigation as several officers were firing at Hampson.
Hampson was transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, where he was pronounced dead.
According to Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble, Hampson posed a “significant danger” to communities in western Massachusetts, and while authorities arrived at the motel hoping for a peaceful resolution, “these incidents can change in a matter of seconds. And that’s what happened here.”
Noble said officers must make decisions in a matter of seconds, and “under circumstances, where there is no opportunity to step back, deliberate or fully understand everything that is happening in that moment.” He said the officers involved in the shooting have the support of their colleagues while they process what happened.
Erving Police Chief Robert Holst then spoke to thank the several law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services personnel who provided assistance. In a small community like Erving, he said, relying on state partners to assist is essential.
“I’m here to just reassure our community, those that travel through and those that come to visit, that this was an isolated incident, and Erving is a safe place,” Holst said in his concluding remarks.
The motel’s manager, Emily Prondecki, said in a phone interview on Thursday morning that the shooting took place at around 9 p.m. on the far right side of the building. While she said she was not at the motel when the incident took place, her mother, who lives close by, could hear the gunshots.
Prondecki said she and her family are safe and uninjured, adding that nothing like this has happened before at their family-owned business and she doesn’t want the incident to reflect negatively upon the restaurant and motel.
Had Hampson not been killed, Early said he could have faced charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and murder in connection with Frislid’s death.
A statement from the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office that was released immediately after the press conference said more information will be made available as the investigation continues.
“At the request of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office are the lead investigative agency in this matter,” the statement clarifies, “to avoid any perceived conflict of interest and to ensure an independent review of the circumstances.”
