One Freed on Bail, One Held: Cape Cod Assisted Living Workers’ Christmas Eve Shooting Spree Sparks Elderly Safety Fears
ABOVE: Yarmouth PD booking photos of Brandley Santos (left) and Kenneth Patterson (AKA Jerome Patterson – right)/ HN edits…
YARMOUTH PORT, MASSACHUSETTS — Two maintenance employees at Thirwood Place, a premier assisted living facility for elderly residents on Cape Cod, remain embroiled in serious firearms charges following a chaotic Christmas Eve incident involving over 30 rounds of ammunition fired near their shared, family neighborhood residence. The case has sparked community concerns about who is working around society’s most vulnerable populations, prompting questions about background checks and employee screening at facilities like Thirwood Place.
Bradley Santos, 23, has been released on $5,000 cash bail following his arraignment, sources say, while Kenneth Patterson, 52 (also known as Jerome Patterson), remains in custody awaiting a dangerousness hearing. The two men, who reportedly work together on the same shift as maintenance personnel at Thirwood Place, were arrested on December 24, 2025, after Yarmouth Police responded to multiple reports of gunfire in the area.
According to police reports, the incident unfolded around 10:27 p.m. when officers first responded to reports of four gunshots near Shaker House Road. Additional calls soon followed, reporting shots a quarter-mile north near Mattis Drive. Officers patrolled nearby streets, including those around Center Street, but heard nothing initially. About 20 minutes later, more gunfire reports came in from near Center Street, leading officers to search areas around Ancient Way and Mariners Lane without immediate results.
While stationed along Center Street, officers received a fourth call and then heard 10 to 15 shots themselves. Armed with patrol rifles, they approached 154 Center Street—the only lit house in the area, with loud music emanating from inside. Sergeant Richard Fichter Jr., who also heard the shots, noted a commotion at the rear of the house. Turning the corner, he spotted Santos bent over near the porch, “manipulating something.”
Sergeant Fichter reportedly aimed his rifle at Santos and ordered him to show his hands. After repeated commands, Santos complied slowly, appearing unsteady with slurred speech, which officers attributed to intoxication. A search of his pockets revealed spent and live 9mm and .40mm rounds. Fresh shell casings were found near the back porch. Santos denied firing any weapon or knowing anyone who had.
Learning of a roommate inside, and prioritizing safety, Sergeant Fichter determined exigent circumstances justified entry. After knocking and announcing with no response, officers entered through an open inner door. Inside, they encountered Patterson sitting on the living room couch.
Fichter reportedly ordered Patterson to show his hands and approach. Patterson initially fell off the couch, struggling to stand and balance, with officers noting the odor of alcohol and concluding he was intoxicated. As officers cleared the house, they spotted two black semi-automatic handguns in plain view.
After Miranda rights were read, Patterson initially declined to speak but later claimed Santos had fired a gun into the air, denying his own involvement. He confirmed they worked together at Thirwood Place, where Santos had been living with him for about four months. Patterson refused to identify the guns’ owner, stating only that he “lived here.”
According to police reports, neither man held a license to carry or own firearms. A search warrant later revealed a third pistol with magazines, an assault rifle with a collapsible stock in a living room closet, an apparent firearms milling device, and a bag of large-capacity rifle magazines loaded with 5.56 rounds. One pistol lacked a serial number. A sheriff’s crime scene unit collected evidence for further analysis.
Sources close to the investigation have since revealed that over 30 rounds were fired that evening, escalating the perceived danger of the incident. Santos and Patterson, both currently Yarmouth Port residents, face charges including discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, possession of a firearm without an FID card, possession of ammunition without an FID card, making a firearm without a serial number, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, and unlicensed possession of an assault weapon.
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At their December 26, 2025, arraignment in Barnstable District Court, not guilty pleas were entered. Bail was set at $5,000 for both, but the Commonwealth moved to hold Patterson on dangerousness grounds, leading to his continued custody, according to the latest information from sources.
Thirwood Place, which prides itself as “Cape Cod’s premier retirement community” with the motto “At Thirwood Place, you can truly have it all!” according to its public Facebook page, caters to elderly residents in a setting that emphasizes comfort and security. However, the revelation that two employees charged with such serious offenses were entrusted with maintenance duties—potentially involving access to residents’ living spaces—has raised profound questions about oversight and safety. According to sources, at least one of the suspects is no stranger to police, with past serious charges (and believed to have served jail time—revelations HN is actively working to officially confirm).
Based on searches of public news archives, court-related sites, and social media, the only journalistic report matching an incident involving Kenneth J. Patterson (likely the same individual, given the age alignment—39 in 2012 equates to 52 in 2025—and the Cape Cod location also aligns) was at Cromwell Courts in Hyannis, according to a 2012 police log published by Barnstable Patch:
“10:04 p.m.: Cromwell Courts, 168 Barnstable Rd., domestic, assault and battery, arrested 39-year-old Kenneth J. Patterson of Hyannis, warrant straight, larceny under Dartmouth, warrant default, fail to return leased property, warrant straight, assault and battery New Bedford, warrant, default malicious destruction of property, assault and battery Mashpee, warrant, straight, 2 counts of larceny under Dartmouth”
Some community members are asking: Who’s working around our most vulnerable? Does Thirwood Place conduct thorough CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) checks or comprehensive background screenings on employees? Adding to the scrutiny, photos on the facility’s public Facebook page show Santos and Patterson participating in fire extinguisher training as part of the fire safety team, depicting them handling extinguishers—not firearms this time—in a professional capacity.
Should we be concerned? In an era where assisted living facilities house some of society’s most fragile individuals, incidents like this highlight potential gaps in hiring protocols. While Thirwood Place has not yet publicly commented on the matter, the case underscores the need for transparency and rigorous vetting to ensure the safety of elderly residents. If the two suspects were employed at an elementary school, working around young children, the public outcry would likely be swift and widespread.
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HN Reminder: The details in this report are based on police reports, court documents, and statements from sources. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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HN reached out to Thirwood Place this evening via phone. A front desk employee was asked if the facility had issued a public statement regarding two team members recently charged with recklessly firing over 30 rounds of ammunition in a residential neighborhood on Christmas Eve. The employee politely provided the contact information for Matt Pitta, the facility’s media representative, who was unavailable at the time. HN plans to follow up with Pitta tomorrow morning, sharing this report and raising these concerns. [DEVELOPING]
UPDATE – 12/30/2025 – From Matt Pitta, Director of Communications, The Davenport Companies:
“We are aware of the incident involving two Thirwood Place employees that happened off the Thirwood Place property at their private residence on December 24th. At no time were any Thirwood Place residents in danger. This incident happened off Thirwood Place property and did not impact our residents.”
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