HOLYOKE — Hartford Police identified the murder suspect who killed himself following a multihour standoff with police at the Budget Inn Thursday as Chad Petitpas, 46, of Uncasville, Connecticut.
Massachusetts State Police troopers responded to the Budget Inn at 7:30 a.m. after a State Police dispatcher noticed a vehicle matching the description of a BOLO, or “be on the lookout” for Petitpas’ vehicle after he allegedly shot two women the night before in Hartford, killing one.
Troopers from the Springfield and Northampton barracks, STOP team, Crisis Negotiation Team, and K9-West and members of the Hartford Police Major Crimes Division all responded to assist Holyoke Police at the motel, which was evacuated, with the exception of Petitpas’ room.
Massachusetts State Police made contact with Petitpas in an attempt to negotiate his surrender after he barricaded himself inside the room and refused to exit. After a several-hour standoff that closed a large portion of Route 5 for more than eight hours, Petitpas shot himself, Hartford Police confirmed.
Hartford Police officers responded to the area of 149 Magnolia St. following reports of a gunshot Wednesday night. There, they found a parked car with an unresponsive woman, later identified as Diana Tirado, 46, of New Britain, Connecticut, in the driver’s seat suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a statement from Hartford Police. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers also located a second woman in her 30s on the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to an area hospital, where she was listed in stable condition., Hartford Police said.
During the course of the investigation, police obtained an arrest warrant for Petitpas, who was charged with murder, assault, risk of injury, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal use of a firearm, and reckless endangerment.
The Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions continue to investigate this incident.
