DA: Fall River man killed fiancée’s father, shot her mother and sister before killing himself

A Fall River man took his own life after fatally shooting his fiancée’s father and injuring two of her family members Wednesday morning, according to Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III.

Fall River police were called to a home at 511 Bank St. at 3:05 a.m. and found four shooting victims there, Quinn said in a press release. 

The shooter, 25-year-old Christopher Jean Baptiste, was rushed to Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, while his fiancée’s father, 69-year-old Hubert Labasquin, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, according to the DA. Both were later pronounced dead. 

A preliminary investigation revealed that the fiancée’s family had been living with the couple at Jean Baptiste’s Bank Street home for the past several months while searching for another place to live, Quinn said.

Tuesday night, however, Jean Baptiste allegedly told his fiancée that he was unhappy about her family continuing to live with them. Later in the evening, while holding a firearm, he reportedly told his fiancée that her family had to leave the home immediately, according to the release. 

“Shortly thereafter, Mr. Labasquin apparently engaged in a physical struggle with Jean Baptiste, at which point Mr. Labasquin was shot,” Quinn said. While the fiancée was calling 911, Jean Baptiste reportedly shot both her mother and sister before turning the gun on himself. 

The fiancée’s 59-year-old mother and 25-year-old sister were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for treatment, and both are expected to survive, according to the release. 

Jean Baptiste had a valid license to carry the firearm, Quinn noted. Prosecutors, Massachusetts State Police, and Fall River Police are investigating the shooting.