Sunday morning traffic on a Methuen off-ramp turned chaotic when gunfire broke out during what police are calling a road-rage confrontation. Around 6:30 a.m., state troopers and Methuen officers rushed to the Interstate 93 southbound off-ramp to Route 110/113 after callers reported shots fired.
People involved in the clash told officers they had just come from a gathering in nearby Lawrence, where they said they were victims of a theft before things escalated on the highway. No injuries were reported, and authorities say the case is still very much an active investigation.
What police say
According to Boston 25 News, investigators say both groups left the Lawrence gathering and later confronted one another on the Methuen off-ramp, where shots were fired. State police responded to the scene and have not publicly identified any suspects or released further details about who may have pulled the trigger.
Those involved told officers they believed they had been victimized by a theft at the earlier gathering, a claim that is now part of the larger incident timeline that detectives are working to sort out.
Local context
The shooting scare comes as Methuen and neighboring Lawrence continue to see a string of gun-related incidents that keep detectives busy and neighbors on edge. In May, a teenager was injured in a shooting at a Methuen Wendy’s, as reported by The Boston Globe. Earlier multi-victim crime scenes in the area have prompted repeated appeals from police for community tips and cooperation.
Local officials have stressed that surveillance video, cell phone footage, and witness accounts often make the difference in cases like these, helping investigators identify suspects and understand how quickly a dispute turns into something much more dangerous.
Police request tips
Investigators are asking anyone who saw the confrontation or captured it on video to contact the Massachusetts State Police or Methuen Police. Tips could help them lock in a more precise timeline and determine who fired the shots on the ramp.
Police have not announced any arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to Boston 25 News. This story will be updated as soon as authorities release more information.
