DA's office IDs Fall River man who shot and killed fiancée's father before shooting himself
FALL RIVER — A 25-year-old Fall River man shot and killed himself early this morning after fatally shooting his fiancée’s father and wounding two other of her family members, according to a statement from Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn's office.
Fall River police received a 911 call from the shooter’s fiancée at 3:05 a.m. Wednesday stating that her fiancé had just shot members of her family and then himself at their home at 511 Bank St.
The shooter, who then shot and killed himself, has been identified as Christopher Jean Baptiste, 25, of 511 Bank St. He was rushed to Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, where he was later pronounced dead.
The female fiancée’s father, 69-year-old Hubert Labasquin, was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The female fiancée’s mother, a 59-year-old woman, was rushed to Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for a treatment of a gunshot wound. She is expected to survive.
The female fiancée’s sister, a 25-year-old woman, was also rushed to Saint Luke’s Hospital and is also expected to survive.
According to the DA's press release, the preliminary investigation has revealed that the female fiancée’s family had been residing with the couple at Jean Baptiste’s Bank Street residence for the past several months while they apparently looked for another place to live. During the evening Tuesday night, Jean Baptiste told his fiancée that he was unhappy with her family continuing to reside with them. Then later in the evening, while holding a firearm, Jean Baptiste apparently told his fiancée that her family had to leave the house immediately. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Labasquin apparently engaged in a physical struggle with Jean Baptiste, at which point Mr. Labasquin was shot.
While the female fiancée was calling 911, Jean Baptiste apparently shot both her mother and her sister before then shooting himself, the press release states.
Neighbor Christine Fernandes, who lives around the corner from where the shooting occurred, said she woke up this morning to find a bloody handprint on her front door window and more blood on the doorbell and door jam.
Fernandes notified the investigators on scene of the blood.
Fernandes said she hadn't heard anything during the early morning hours, but only found out about the shootings when she woke up to take her young children to school and saw the police presence.
She doesn't know the family, but said they moved into the Bank Street home about a year ago.
Fernandes was visibly shaken by the overnight occurrences. "I have two young kids and it's scary to know someone was on my porch," she said. "It turns my stomach to know something like that happened right next door."
According to the DA's office, Jean Baptiste had a valid license to carry the firearm.
The investigation remains active and ongoing and is being conducted by prosecutors, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office and Fall River police.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Two men dead in Fall River shooting; two women injured
