Just two days before Christmas, on the late evening of December 23, 2018, the life of 33-year-old Rene Andino was tragically cut short in Springfield, Massachusetts. A Hispanic male, Andino was a father and a graduate of Springfield Central High School who was known for his entrepreneurial spirit, having founded the Flash Flood Auto Club of Springfield.
That Sunday, at approximately 11:30 p.m., the sound of gunfire pierced the night in the vicinity of Oswego and Richelieu Streets.
Springfield Police officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation and discovered Andino suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was making his way from his car to his girlfriend's house where his two young daughters were sleeping at the time. Emergency services transported him to Baystate Medical Center, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced deceased.
The Hampden District Attorney’s Office and the Springfield Police Department’s Homicide Unit immediately launched an investigation into what was ruled a homicide. In the days following the shooting, law enforcement officials stated that the investigation was active and ongoing. However, public announcements regarding any persons of interest, suspects, or arrests in connection with the shooting have not been made. The case remains an open and active investigation, leaving a family and a community searching for answers.
