DA: Fall River man killed fiancé's dad, shot her mom and sister before turning gun on himself
A Fall River man shot his fiancé's father to death and wounded two other members of her family before he turned the gun on himself when frustrations about their living situation boiled over early Wednesday morning, investigators said.
Officers responding to a report of multiple people shot at a home at 511 Bank Street around 3 a.m. spoke with the shooter’s fiancé, who stated that her fiancé had just shot members of her family and then himself, according to Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn.
A sweep of the home revealed four shooting victims in total, two of whom were pronounced dead at the scene, Quinn’s office said.
The suspected gunman, who shot and killed himself, has been identified as 25-year-old Christopher Jean Baptiste. He was rushed to Saint Anne’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Baptiste’s fiancé's father, 69-year-old Hubert Labasquin, died from his injuries while undergoing treatment at Rhode Island Hospital.
The female fiancé's mother, a 59-year-old woman, and her 25-year-old sister were also rushed to Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford with gunshot wounds. They are both expected to survive.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the female fiancé's family had been residing with the couple at Baptiste’s home for the past several months while they apparently looked for another place to live, but he had grown tired of them staying with him, Quinn’s office noted.
In a statement, Quinn’s office wrote, “During the evening last night, Baptiste told his fiancé that he was unhappy with her family continuing to reside with them. Then later in the evening, while holding a firearm, Baptiste apparently told his fiancé that her family had to leave the house immediately. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Labasquin apparently engaged in a physical struggle with Baptiste, at which point Mr. Labasquin was shot.”
When Baptiste’s fiancé tried to call 911, he allegedly shot her mother and her sister. Quinn’s office said Baptiste had a valid license to carry a firearm.
State police detectives are assisting Fall River police with an investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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