A Princeton employee who used to work with children took his own life as Massachusetts State Police tried to serve him with a search warrant forchild sex abuse material.
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said during the execution of that search warrant on Thursday night, John Buffington, 67, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Buffington was employed by the Princeton Parks and Recreation Department and was part of their after-school programs. He reportedly taught woodworking, primitive and kite skills to students.
Buffington also previously worked in the town of Lincoln, Massachusetts, at an after-school program until 2014. Princeton police said he moved to town in 2009 and had no prior criminal record and did have a license to carry to a firearm.
According to Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble, detectives received tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that Buffington may be in possession of child pornography.
When officers announced themselves at Buffington’s door to execute the search warrant, he ran into his garage, where he died by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot, according to Noble.
After entering his home, investigators said they found evidence of child pornography and other disturbing material. Officers allegedly found sexually explicit pictures of at least one child who was known to Buffington.
Although the investigation is in its early stages, police said there is no evidence to suggest at this time that any child with whom Buffington came in contact has been harmed. The investigation remains ongoing.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the final cause of death for Buffington.
