HOPKINTON, Mass. — A 70-year-old Hopkinton man has been charged with attempted murder after police say he assaulted and attempted to drown a 21-year-old man during a confrontation at Sandy Beach on Lake Maspenock.
According to the Hopkinton Police Department, officers responded to reports of a physical altercation at the residents-only beach shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Investigators say the incident began when the older man confronted the 21-year-old over his use of the lake’s boat ramp, which is restricted to Hopkinton residents during the summer season.
Police say the confrontation escalated into a physical fight between the two men.
Authorities allege that the 70-year-old man slapped the younger man during the dispute, and the two then ended up struggling in the water.
According to police and video evidence reviewed during the investigation, the suspect is accused of forcefully holding the 21-year-old’s head underwater during the struggle.
Bystanders who witnessed the incident intervened and pulled the man away from the victim, preventing further harm.
The 21-year-old victim, who had been using crutches due to injuries from a prior accident, survived the incident. Police said both individuals declined medical treatment at the scene.
The suspect has been identified by authorities as a 70-year-old Hopkinton resident. He has been charged with:
Attempted murder
Two counts of strangulation/suffocation
Assault and battery on a disabled person
He was arrested at his home shortly after the incident and is being held pending court proceedings.
Police say the altercation is believed to have stemmed from a dispute over residency-based access rules for Lake Maspenock’s Sandy Beach area, which restricts access to Hopkinton residents during peak season.
Authorities emphasized that enforcement of local rules should be handled through proper channels rather than personal confrontation.
The case remains under investigation.
Video Credit: Via CBS Boston
70-year-old charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying to drown 21-year-old at Massachusetts lake 👀 https://t.co/541h4d35Vi pic.twitter.com/4otqD6HxC6
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