BROCKTON — A Brockton man who allegedly shot at three repossession employees attempting to collect his vehicle, striking one of them in the leg, has been released from custody.  
Kenneth D. Schoonmaker, 36, was released on $25,000 cash bail following his detention hearing in Brockton District Court Wednesday, Sept. 17, according to a spokesperson for the court clerk’s office.
Conditions of his release include home confinement with GPS monitoring.
Schoonmaker is facing eight charges, including two felony counts of assault to murder and one felony count of assault and battery by firearm after a repossession employee was shot in front of his home on Willow Street on Sept. 9.
During his detention hearing Wednesday, prosecutors opposed Schoonmaker’s release, calling the early morning shooting an incredibly violent act.
“The defendant may have believed that his car was being stolen. But this is someone who shot first and asked questions second,” Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney Margaret Saunders said.
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On Sept. 9, police received a 911 call from an individual who reported his partner had been shot in the leg during an attempted repossession of a vehicle at 41 Willow St. in Brockton, according to Saunders.
The caller reported that he himself, the victim and another individual — all three employees of a repossession company — had gone to the Willow Street address to collect the defendant’s truck.
When the employees arrived, one of the individuals went into the defendant’s truck, which was unlocked, Saunders said.
Witnesses reported that a man came out of the home, went back inside, and came back out again, and began shooting at the truck and the Hyundai Elantra the employees had arrived in.
The caller, who was a passenger in the Elantra, said he heard nine to 10 shots before he heard his partner, who was driving, scream that he had been shot, Saunders said.
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According to the prosecution, witness reports and home surveillance footage helped investigators identify Schoonmaker as a suspect.  
“He fires at the truck. He turns the weapon to the Hyundai across the street,” Saunders said in court Wednesday. “Both vehicles drive away, and the defendant, who is the man in the video, walks in the street and continues to fire at the cars as they drive away.”
Saunders said the shooting also happened outside Schoonmaker’s residence. City property records show the Willow Street address is not owned by Schoonmaker.
The Enterprise could not independently verify if the defendant was residing at 41 Willow St.
When he was interviewed by police, Schoonmaker said he saw someone stealing his truck and he chased them down in his vehicle, Saunders said. He denied shooting at the individuals.
Defense attorney Stephanie Soriano said none of the witnesses could definitively identify Schoonmaker as the shooter.
She also said she had not seen any still images from the surveillance footage the prosecution used to prosecute her client.  
“The entire courtroom is here in support of Mr. Schoonmaker,” Soriano said after the prosecution laid out its argument. “He is an active member of society who has more support than many of us ever would have,” she said.
Soriano handed Judge Jeffrey Clifford more than 20 letters of support written by family, friends and community members.
Clifford took a few minutes to read through the letters of support before making his ruling.
Schoonmaker is scheduled to appear for a probable cause hearing on Oct. 28.

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