In the early hours of Thursday, a family of three was found dead in their Andover home in a devastating case of domestic violence and murder-suicide.
Andover Police received a 911 call from the Porter Road residence at 3:21 am. They arrived at the scene within five minutes, finding the father, mother, and their preteen son dead from gunshot wounds.
The couple was identified as 56-year-old Andrew Robinson and his 55-year-old wife, Linda. Their deceased 12-year-old son was identified as Sebastian, a sixth-grade student.
The Essex County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Andrew Robinson died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, while Linda and Sebastian were murdered by Andrew.
St. John’s Prep, the school Sebastian attended as a sixth grader, canceled classes for the day after being informed of the boy’s death. The head of the school, Ed Hardiman, described Sebastian as a “very gentle soul” who was well-loved and connected to the school’s music and campus ministry programs.
Andover Police Chief Pat Keefe informed that the police were investigating the motive behind the tragic incident and assured the public that there was no danger to the community.
The scene was declared “contained” by Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker, who also praised the first responders for their efforts in handling a difficult situation.
A resident of the neighborhood, Jim Greer, expressed his concern over the incident. However, he was relieved to know that the police had declared there was no threat to the public. Despite being a safe community, he acknowledged that gun violence can happen anywhere and that no area is immune.