A tragic father-son bank heist in Connecticut ended in a murder-suicide after a tense six-hour standoff with police, highlighting the deadly consequences of family crime.
Key Takeaways
- Shaun P. Fallon and his son Zachary W. Fallon robbed the Chelsea Groton Bank in Connecticut before barricading themselves in a Super 8 Motel
- The suspects claimed to have firearms and explosives, leading to evacuations of the motel and nearby businesses
- After six hours of negotiations, gunshots were heard from inside their room, and both suspects were found with self-inflicted gunshot wounds
- Both suspects died from their injuries in the hospital, with no explosives found at the scene
- Law enforcement used drones and a SWAT team to manage the volatile standoff situation
Bank Robbery Turned Deadly Standoff
On June 12, 2025, two masked men entered the Chelsea Groton Bank on Gold Star Highway in Groton, Connecticut, and demanded cash from a teller. The suspects, later identified as father Shaun P. Fallon and son Zachary W. Fallon, implied they had weapons and fled with an undisclosed amount of money. Police tracked the pair to a nearby Super 8 Motel, where what began as a bank robbery quickly escalated into a deadly standoff. When officers approached the suspects’ room, they refused to surrender, setting off a chain of events that would ultimately end in tragedy.
“It was reported that during the robbery, two suspects inferred a weapon and passed a note to a teller demanding cash. Both suspects were wearing medical masks. They were described as white males who fled the scene in an unknown vehicle with an undisclosed amount of cash,” said the police
Six Hours of Tension and Threats
When confronted at the motel, the situation quickly became dangerous. “After a brief exchange, the suspects advised they were armed with both firearms and explosives and refused to surrender,” according to police statements. This threat prompted authorities to evacuate the entire motel and a nearby business as a precaution. For six tense hours, negotiators attempted to resolve the situation peacefully while SWAT team members, bomb technicians, and special investigative units assembled at the scene. The standoff created a dramatic scene as multiple law enforcement agencies worked to contain the potentially explosive situation.
“This was an extremely dangerous and volatile situation, and I want to commend the bravery and professionalism of all the law enforcement personnel involved in bringing it to a close,” said Groton Police Chief L.J. Fusaro
Fatal Conclusion to the Standoff
Around 11:05 p.m., authorities heard two gunshots from inside the motel room. Police deployed a drone to assess the situation, which revealed both suspects were “incapacitated by apparent gunshot wounds,” according to Groton Deputy Chief Paul Gately. Emergency personnel immediately rushed both men to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital. Zachary Fallon was pronounced dead on June 13, while his father Shaun succumbed to his injuries three days later on June 16. A bomb squad later cleared the room and found no explosives, though police have not specified what weapons were recovered from the scene.
‼️Father and son shot dead after robbing Bank together—k*lled during six-hour standoff with cops. 😱
📍Groton, Connecticut pic.twitter.com/bflXD2op1K
— i Expose Racists & Pedos (@SeeRacists) June 18, 2025
“Two gunshots were heard inside the suspects’ hotel room,” said the police, adding that both suspects were incapacitated by apparent gunshot wounds.
Investigation Continues
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is still conducting “further studies” to officially determine the cause and manner of death for both Fallons, though the evidence points to a murder-suicide scenario. Authorities have not revealed which of the men fired the fatal shots or what may have motivated the bank robbery attempt that led to this tragic outcome. Police are continuing their investigation and have asked for the public’s assistance with any information related to the incident. The case highlights the sometimes deadly consequences of criminal activity and the challenging situations law enforcement faces when dealing with armed suspects.
