Police: Father, 80, fatally shot son; investigation continues

An 80-year-old man retrieved a gun when his adult son attempted to break into his Conowingo residence on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and then fatally shot him, according to Maryland State Police.

As of Thursday, criminal charges had not been filed against the alleged shooter.

Investigators identified Joe Berry Jr., 53, of Conowingo, as the victim. Police said the father is cooperating with investigators.

Cecil County Department of Emergency Services paramedics pronounced Berry dead at the scene of the incident, which occurred at approximately 2 p.m. Tuesday on a residential property in the 200 block of Mt. Zoar Road — where a fire damaged an adjacent home at about the same time, police reported.

A 78-year-old woman, whom investigators believe to be Berry’s mother, suffered injuries during the incident and an ambulance crew transported her to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air for treatment, according to police. Although they did not specify the woman’s injuries, MSP officials qualified that her injuries “were not from gunfire.”

MSP troopers assigned to the agency’s North East Barrack rushed to scene shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday in response to a reported shooting, police reported.

Troopers found Berry outside the residence and noticed that he had “apparent gunshot wounds,” police said. They also located Berry’s father at the scene, police added. Berry’s father declined medical treatment, according to MSP officials, who did not specify if the 80-year-old man had been injured during the incident or if he had experienced a medical episode.

“Investigators believe an argument between Berry and his father led to the shooting. The preliminary investigation indicates that Berry attempted to break into the residence before his father retrieved a firearm and shot Berry,” an MSP spokesperson outlined, noting that the father is “currently cooperating with investigators.”

Firefighters responded to that Mt. Zoar Road property, too, and extinguished a blaze at an adjacent home, police said. As of Wednesday night, detectives with the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal continued their investigation to determine the cause of that fire, police added. Although it appears to be so, MSP and MOSFM officials have not indicated if that house fire is related to the fatal shooting.

Detectives with MSP’s Homicide Unit are leading the fatal shooting investigation, according to the spokesperson.

“Investigators are working to determine a motive,” the spokesperson reported, noting, “No charges have been filed at this time. The investigation remains active.”