Former Massachusetts mayor Will Flanagan was stabbed twice in the neck outside the cannabis dispensary he owns in Fall River, police officials confirmed. The 45‑year‑old, who led the city from 2010 to 2014, was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition at around 5 p.m. Monday.
Flanagan, a former assistant district attorney and the city’s youngest mayor at age 29, had been the target of a recall campaign in 2014 after he was accused of brandishing a gun at political rival Jasiel Correia. The incident sparked a lawsuit that was quietly settled the following year. Despite the controversy, Flanagan returned to law practice and even appeared in a horror film.
Police said the attack happened just outside “Cosmopolitan Dispensary,” the marijuana shop Flanagan launched in July 2022. Earlier that day, the former mayor had posted a video on Facebook singing “Blame It on the Rain” while standing in front of the dispensary and inviting customers to come inside.
“We responded quickly to the scene and are working hard to identify and arrest whoever committed this senseless act,” said Police Chief Kelly Furtado. “Our patrol officers and detectives are on the case.”
The Fall River police are pursuing the investigation and have asked for witnesses. No motive has been released, and none of the shops or the mayor’s office has responded to requests for comment yet.
Mayor Paul Coogan expressed solidarity with Flanagan and his family. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Coogan said. “We stand behind the police as they seek justice.”
Flanagan’s life has recently spanned politics, law, film, and cannabis retail. The stabbing underscores the continued tension in the city and the unpredictable nature of public life for former officials.
Source: New York Post
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