FALL RIVER MASSACHUSETTS, authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred early Sunday morning, leaving one man dead and two police officers injured, officials said.
Officers responding to a report of a man in possession of a firearm inside a vehicle outside a home on Linden Street around 12 a.m. encountered 40-year-old Nigel Vaughn of Fall River, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III.
Prosecutors said Vaughn began to violently resist officers while being patted down and then fired a weapon at police. One officer was struck in the elbow, while another was hit in the abdomen, with the bullet impacting his bullet-resistant vest. A third officer was also present at the scene.
Officers returned fire, striking Vaughn. Investigators said a Glock firearm capable of firing multiple rounds with a single trigger pull was recovered at the scene.
Vaughn was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The two injured officers and the third officer who discharged his weapon were also taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials said the officers’ injuries were not life-threatening, and all three have since been released.
“This incident highlights the dangers police face during encounters with armed individuals,” Quinn said in a statement. “The suspect had a violent history, and the officers were doing their job on a brutally cold night to protect the community. Through the grace of God, all of the officers’ lives were spared.”
Fall River Police Chief Kelly Furtado also issued a statement, saying, “We are deeply grateful that our officers are able to return home to their families. Each day, they serve with dedication to protect our community. Incidents like this underscore the inherent risks of this profession and remind us how fortunate we are to be served by such courageous men and women.”
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
