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PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A 17-year-old Taconic High School senior was fatally shot in an attempted robbery over an underground vape trade, authorities said, in a killing that has shaken the close-knit Morningside neighborhood and prompted swift arrests.
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Brodie William Slonski, a popular student known for his enthusiasm in the school's metal fabrication program and his spot on the junior varsity golf team, died Oct. 26, 2025, after being gunned down while driving in Pittsfield's family-oriented Morningside area. The incident unfolded around 6:15 p.m., when police responded to reports of a single-car crash at the intersection of Franco Terrace and Parker Street.
Officers arrived to find Slonski slumped behind the wheel of his white Honda HR-V, which had veered off the road and slammed into a tree. Firefighters extracted the teen from the wreckage, only to discover a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was rushed to Berkshire Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. No other occupants were in the vehicle, and initial responders treated the scene as a routine accident until the wound was revealed.
Investigators quickly pieced together a timeline pointing to a botched robbery tied to an illicit vape exchange. Surveillance footage captured a figure in dark clothing approaching Slonski's vehicle moments before the crash, then fleeing northbound on Parker Street toward a nearby residence. Digital forensics uncovered Snapchat messages between Slonski and his assailants, arranging what appeared to be a casual meetup that turned deadly. The final exchanges from Slonski's account were fragmented, suggesting a sudden struggle.
On Nov. 7, Pittsfield police arrested 18-year-old Jaequan Spratling (pictured), charging him with murder and attempted armed robbery. Authorities allege Spratling orchestrated the setup from his home, luring Slonski under false pretenses while an accomplice carried out the ambush. Five days later, on Nov. 12, 17-year-old Sergio Ponce, who appears to be white, was taken into custody and charged with murder as the suspected shooter. Injuries on Ponce's face and Slonski's grip on a backpack indicated a brief but fierce resistance, according to court documents. Both defendants were arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court; Ponce, as a minor charged with murder, faces adult proceedings under Massachusetts law. Neither entered pleas, and motives beyond the vape dispute remain under review as the probe continues for potential additional involvement.
Witnesses in the low-crime enclave described hearing a sharp pop followed by screeching tires, with one neighbor, Maria Gonzalez, telling investigators she saw a shadowy figure darting away "like he was running from the devil himself." Another resident, long-time shop owner Tom Reilly, recounted peering out his window to see the Honda's headlights flickering erratically before impact. "It was over in seconds, but the silence after—that's what haunts you," Reilly said.
The slaying has reverberated through Pittsfield, a city of about 43,000 nestled in the Berkshires. Taconic High School, where Slonski was weeks from graduation, canceled classes the following day and deployed grief counselors, with Principal Elena Thompson urging students to "honor Brodie by leaning on each other." A makeshift memorial of flowers, candles and golf tees sprouted at the crash site, drawing dozens of teens who shared stories of Slonski's quick laugh and tireless work ethic.
City Council meetings turned somber, with resident Peter Murkett decrying "another young life snuffed out in our streets," while Mayor Donna Otremba vowed increased patrols and youth outreach programs. Slonski's mother, Amy, who lost her husband to cancer just a year prior, released a brief statement through family friends: "Our Brodie was light in the darkness; we'll carry that forward." Funeral services drew hundreds on Nov. 15, with donations pouring into a scholarship fund in his name. As the community grapples with the void, officials emphasize the rapid arrests as a testament to collaborative policing, though the pain of untimely loss lingers.
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Pittsfield police make arrest in connection with fatal shooting of Taconic High School student
Pittsfield Police Make Second Arrest in Murder of Taconic Student Brodie Slonski
Berkshire DA: Taconic Teen Brodie Slonski Murdered Over Vapes; Two Charged
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