Kevin Doherty, 57, a loving father and longtime resident of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, was shot and killed Thursday morning after dropping off his little son at Coolidge School, leaving the neighborhood in shock. Neighbors are devastated by the tragic death, which has also reignited anger over the way the court system handled the suspect in the crime.
The 26-year-old alleged shooter was identified by authorities as Snehal Srivastava, a man with a lengthy criminal past that dates back to 2015. It is shocking to learn that this is not Srivastava's first violent experience. He was actually previously charged with a machete assault on a total stranger in 2022. This episode still haunts survivor Nitish Sharma, who believes that Thursday's tragedy may have been avoided.
Sharma remembers the terrifying night two years ago when Srivastava attacked him with a machete after attempting to run him down outside a movie theater in Westboro. I caught the blade as he swung at me. Recalling how he almost avoided death because of the help of passersby who dialed 911, Sharma stated, "He was swinging at my face, and when he pulled back, my thumb started dangling." The trauma is still present even if Sharma's physical wounds have healed, and learning of Doherty's passing revived severe emotional traumas.
Hearing what happened last night made me cry because it shattered my heart. If our judicial system had followed the right procedures, this should not have occurred," Sharma stated. According to court records, Srivastava had a psychiatric evaluation following the machete attack and was found to be fit to stand trial. However, prosecutors said the case was dismissed just last month, a decision that now raises doubts about the legal system.
Sharma bemoaned, "That innocent family would still have their father if he had been sent to jail last month." "That child was not worthy of losing a parent." He ought to have spent the remainder of his life behind bars.
Doherty met Srivastava as the suspect was spray-painting graffiti on a trail close to Jordan Pond, according to the criminal paperwork. Before gunfire broke out, witnesses said there had been an argument, presumably over a scooter. Shortly after bidding his son farewell at school, Doherty was shot many times in broad daylight. The neighbors were taken aback. According to local resident Suda Gurung, "He was usually simply smiling and waving hi." "This family and this neighborhood are genuinely devastated."
Soon after the shooting, Srivastava was taken into custody close to his house, which was plastered in graffiti. He tried to hide his face from the cameras in court. He is being held without bail until his next hearing on September 12 after being accused by prosecutors with carrying a firearm without a license and armed assault with intent to murder.
The loss is incalculable for those who knew Kevin Doherty. He is described by neighbors and friends as a warm, amiable person who cherished his family. In addition to leaving a kid fatherless, his untimely passing has sparked serious concerns about public safety and justice system responsibility.
Survivor Nitish Sharma hopes that justice will be served this time around as the Shrewsbury community grieves. "That bad guy needs to answer for his actions. He has no justification for ever again being free. He should be imprisoned.
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