ATTLEBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - A 22-year-old man appeared in court Monday facing charges in connection with a deadly shooting in Mansfield over the weekend.
Authorities said officers responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting on Church Street in Mansfield on Saturday. On scene, officials said they found a 23-year-old Mansfield man with multiple gunshot wounds. The man, identified as Samuel P. Waters, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Bristol District Attorney’s Office.
Heartbroken friends remembered Waters as they came to court on Monday, coming face to face with his accused killer, William O’Brien, of Manchester-By-The-Sea.
“It was terrible,” one person said. “Seeing that man just gave me anxiety.”
O’Brien pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, said O’Brien was wearing body armor and confessed to the crime after the shooting.
“He indicated to police that he apologized for killing Sam and made other statements to the effect that he had just killed someone,” said prosecutor Patrick Driscoll.
Divers and detectives returned to the crime scene Monday searching for additional evidence connected to the shooting.
Back at court in Attleboro, O’Brien’s attorney was urging others not to jump to any conclusions, suggesting there is more to the story.
“He seems to be doing alright,” said attorney Neal Madden of his client. “He’s doing as well as you can be doing in a situation like this.”
Asked if O’Brien denies the allegations against him, Madden responded “Yes.”
O’Brien is being held without bail for the time being. He is due back in court next month.
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