A man, father to three children and set to marry later in the month, was fatally shot after he confronted an individual he found spray-painting graffiti on a bridge in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, as per the police.

The 56-year-old, Kevin Doherty, photographed 26-year-old Snehal Srivastava allegedly vandalizing the area and subsequently engaged in a dispute with him shortly before 9 a.m. on August 28, reports Fox 25 Boston, referencing court documents.

The dispute escalated into a physical altercation, according to police.

As Doherty was returning home from dropping off his 6-year-old son at school, he dialed 911 amidst the altercation. Dispatchers overheard several gunshots before Doherty informed them he had been shot, after which the call went silent. He was transported urgently to UMass Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

“The saying is true; words fall short of expressing the immense sorrow and grief we feel,” Schofield expressed, as reported by Boston.com.

“No one should face the ordeal of canceling wedding plans only to arrange a funeral. This profound loss, along with the resulting fractures, makes the prospect of healing seem unfathomable.”

“He was funny and he was kind. He truly woke up each morning with a smile on his face,” she added.

According to his obituary, Doherty was an avid music lover, a passionate golfer, and an enthusiastic hockey fan. His funeral mass took place on Saturday.

The day after the shooting, Shrewsbury Police Chief Kevin Anderson issued a statement calling the killing at Jordan Pond a “senseless act of violence” and extending condolences to the victim’s family.

“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time,” Anderson said. “No words can ease the pain of such a sudden and devastating loss, but please know that our entire department stands with the family and the community in mourning.”

Srivastava has a history of violent arrests dating back to 2015, according to Boston 25 News.

Chalk messages including “For Kevin” and “You are loved” are written on the path near Jordan Pond in Shrewsbury, Mass., on Aug. 29, 2025, the day after Kevin Doherty was fatally shot in the area. (Elaine Ruxton/Times Herald-Record/USA Today Network)

That includes a disturbing attack in a Regal Cinema parking lot in 2022 involving a man who says he was attacked at random by the same suspect who was brandishing a machete. The case was dismissed in July with court paperwork citing “failure to prosecute,” the outlet reported. 

Victim Nitish Sharma told Boston 25 about what he allegedly endured. 

“He started circling my car, made seven laps around my car. I had no idea who it was. I stepped out of the car. He tried running me over,” Sharma said. “He swung at me, and I grabbed the blade. He was swinging at my face, and I said I don’t know you.”