MILFORD, Conn. — The Milford community is mourning the loss of 69-year-old Frederick Werner, who was fatally shot during a targeted home invasion at his residence on East Broadway in the early morning hours of June 3, 2026.

According to the Milford Police Department, officers were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of East Broadway shortly before 3 a.m. after receiving a 911 call reporting a forced entry. The caller, identified as Sandra Cooper, told dispatchers that two men had broken into the residence while she and Werner were asleep.

During the incident, both occupants were shot. Responding officers arrived to find Werner suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Cooper was also wounded and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she remains under medical care.

An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Werner died from gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide.

Investigators believe the attack was targeted and have stated that there is currently no indication of a random threat to the public. Authorities have not released information regarding a motive and have not publicly identified any suspects. The two men believed to be responsible fled the scene before officers arrived and remain at large.

Detectives from the Milford Police Department, assisted by state forensic investigators, continue to process evidence and review surveillance footage from the surrounding area. Authorities are also interviewing potential witnesses and examining electronic records as part of the ongoing investigation.

Friends and neighbors describe Werner as a kind and respected member of the community who had lived in the neighborhood for many years. Family members, through a statement released by police, remembered him as a gentle and caring man whose loss has left loved ones devastated.

Cooper, who placed the emergency call during the attack, is expected to play a key role in the investigation once her condition allows for additional interviews.

Community members have begun organizing support efforts for Werner’s family and Cooper, including a planned candlelight vigil and fundraising initiatives to assist with expenses resulting from the tragedy.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident, suspicious activity in the area, or surveillance footage from the vicinity of East Broadway between approximately 2:00 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. on June 3 to contact investigators.

The investigation remains active, and authorities say additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Frederick Werner is remembered by family, friends, and neighbors as a man whose life was marked by kindness, generosity, and quiet dedication to those around him. His death has left a profound void in the Milford community, which continues to seek answers and justice in the wake of the tragedy.