Shelburne community mourns tragic death of Madden Gouveia

After 14-year-old Madden Gouveia, a former Shelburne Community School student, was fatally shot last Monday night, Shelburne, surrounding communities, and his family have grappled with the sudden loss.

“While Madden was not currently enrolled at Champlain Valley Union, he was a Champlain Valley School District student, a resident in our community, and was connected to classmates and educators within our community,” Bonnie Birdsall, communications coordinator for Champlain Valley School District, said. “He did maintain social connections with students and some staff, and they were all shocked and saddened by his death.”

She added that the district is employing trained professionals, counseling staff and support from the Howard Center to assist students and staff.

“We encourage parents and caregivers to check in with their students to see how they are feeling,” she added. “As we know, loss of any kind can create strong emotional responses and remind us of past events.”

Gouveia’s sister, Nicole Worthen, started a GoFundMe page to help Gouveia’s father and stepmother to bury the teen and said the family is completely lost and heartbroken, especially since the family was still grieving the loss of its oldest brother, Russell Worthen, who died in an accident in 2020.

“Madden was so full of life, so fearless, smart and had a heart of gold,” his sister wrote on the fundraising site. “We lost our oldest brother in 2020 in an accident, so this is our parent’s second son they have had to bury.”

Donors have given more than $10,000 in less than a week’s time.

The family said turnout at Gouveia’s funeral, held Nov. 4 at Elmwood-Meunier Funeral Home in Burlington, was “absolutely amazing,” and showed how much he was loved.

“Definitely one of the hardest days of my life but together we made it through,” Nicole wrote.

Gouveia’s brother, Ricky Worthen, wrote on social media about losing a second brother.

“I watched Russell die in my arms and for the past three years I’ve fought to overcome it and now this,” he said.

He wrote that his relationship with Gouveia had been slightly estranged in recent years but recounted one final moment with his brother — a moment he had no idea would be his last.

“Thankfully, through God’s work, (Madden) came to my house a week ago,” he wrote. “He walked to Battery Park with me and my daughter and spent two hours with us. I know now that was God’s way of showing me, I should cherish every moment and from this day forward I will.”

Police investigation

Vermont State Police Det. Sgt. Seth Richardson said in an affidavit that Gouveia was in a car with friends, 14-year-old Hussein Mohamed and 18-year-old Mason Bullock, as they headed to the home of a juvenile — referred to only as L.L. — in Bristol when he was fatally shot.

Police responded to a 911 call at 7:20 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30, reporting a 14-year-old male had been shot in the back and was not breathing.

Bristol Police Department Officer Frances Smith arrived at the home just five minutes later and saw Bullock and L.L. standing in the driveway.

First responders rendered aid before transporting Gouveia by ambulance to the University of Vermont Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 9:08 p.m.

While on scene, both Bullock and L.L. described the incident as a drive by shooting, but officers found the rear window intact and closed, according to the affidavit. A trooper found a small cylindrical hole on the backrest of the front passenger’s seat of the vehicle, later determined to be owned by Bullock.

State police detectives said Bullock told them that he arrived at L.L.’s home during the afternoon that day with Gouveia and Mohamed.

Bullock said Gouveia had a black 9mm, Smith & Wesson, M&P handgun. He said L.L. and Mohamed, sitting in the back seats, had the gun as he spoke with Gouveia, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, when he heard the gun fire and Gouveia say he was shot.

Bullock then heard Mohamed say, “I didn’t mean to shoot you,” according to the affidavit.

Bullock said L.L. told them to tell the police the shooting was a drive-by.

Detectives interviewed L.L. in the presence of his mother, who said Gouveia had a gun that he believed was stolen.

L.L. said Gouveia passed the gun to him and he removed the magazine and racked the gun to clear it. He said he put a round in the magazine and put the magazine back into the gun, but Mohamed grabbed the gun and racked it. L.L. said he was able to remove the magazine, which he placed in his hoodie pocket, while Mohamed held it.

“He said Mohamed was waving the gun around at which time it went off,” according to the affidavit. L.L. heard the bang and checked himself to see if he had been shot, he told officers.

“He said he heard Gouveia say he himself was shot,” at which point L.L. told police he ran inside his home and told his mother’s boyfriend and placed the magazine under his bed in a panic, according to the affidavit.

The next day, police located the gun on the lawn of the home. The slide of the firearm was closed, but the chamber was empty.

Police arrested Mohamed on a charge of second-degree murder, and Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos charged the teen as an adult.

The court proceedings were held in open court.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont has criticized Vekos’ decision to charge Mohamed as an adult and said it was “deeply troubled” of the charge “for an accidental shooting that occurred in Bristol this week.”