Massachusetts Man Sentenced 30-40 Years Shooting Pregnant Girlfriend With Children Present

Shaun Holiday, a 30-year-old man from Brockton, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 30 to 40 years in state prison for shooting his pregnant girlfriend, Amanda Holyoke, in the head, an attack that left her permanently blind and occurred in the presence of their three young children. The jury convicted Holiday of multiple felonies including assault to murder, armed home invasion, assault and battery on a pregnant person, and reckless endangerment. The shooting happened on September 8, 2020, in Holyoke's apartment, where Holiday gained access, wrapped his arm around her neck, and fired a .40 caliber gun at her temple; the bullet exited her left temple and lodged in Holiday's forearm, which he accidentally shot during the incident. Holiday was sentenced to serve a 25 to 30-year term followed by an additional 5 to 10 years consecutively, plus five years of probation with conditions including GPS monitoring and mandated participation in an intimate partner abuse program. Emergency responders initially treated Holyoke at Good Samaritan Hospital before she was transferred to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for specialized care. The case underscores serious concerns about domestic violence and its impact on families, with resources available for those seeking help.