On a cold November day in 2002, the life of 34-year-old Lawrence Michael Jupin, a dedicated male police officer in Westminster, Massachusetts, came to a tragic end. His death on November 29, 2002, was not the result of a sudden event, but rather the long and painful culmination of injuries he sustained in the line of duty more than three years earlier. For eight years, Jupin had served the Westminster Police Department, and his commitment to protecting his community ultimately cost him his life.
The fateful encounter that led to his death occurred in the early morning hours of May 10, 1999. While on patrol, Jupin was backing up another officer who was investigating a man dressed in camouflage walking along Route 31. As they were checking the man for warrants, he suddenly fled into the nearby woods. Jupin gave chase, and in the ensuing confrontation, the suspect pulled out a. 357 caliber handgun. Jupin ordered him to drop the weapon, but instead, an exchange of gunfire erupted. Both men were wounded in the shootout.
Jupin was struck by bullets in his face, leg, and hip. He was immediately transported to a local hospital, where shortly after the shooting, he slipped into a coma. He remained in that state for over three years, never regaining consciousness. His death in a Gardner nursing home was a direct result of the grievous injuries he had sustained that night. The suspect, who also recovered from his wounds, was taken into custody.
The man responsible for the shooting was identified, but justice in a traditional sense would prove to be elusive. He was initially found incompetent to stand trial and was committed to a state hospital. Years later, in 2009, the man who had fired the shots that would ultimately take Officer Jupin's life was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Lawrence Michael Jupin, a man who had dedicated his life to upholding the law, died as a result of a violent act for which no one would be held criminally responsible.
