2 Teens, Man Dead in Watertown, Conn. Triple Shooting: Police

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A man is suspected of shooting and killing his girlfriend’s teenage son and daughter at their Watertown, Connecticut, home Tuesday night after an argument about him smoking cigarettes in the house escalated, according to police. They said the man had moved into the home just two weeks earlier. 

He died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Watertown police.

The teens’ mother called 911 at 9:45 p.m. and told dispatchers that her live-in boyfriend had just shot her daughter and son, police said.

Officers responded to the home on Litchfield Road and searched room by room. First they found the suspected shooter, 42-year-old Paul W. Ferguson, in the master bedroom with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.

Officers found the 15-year-old daughter, Della Jette, on the deck with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Her 16-year-old brother, Sterling Jette Jr., was found between the kitchen and living room with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Police said Della had gone on a school field trip to New York earlier that day and had a discussion with her mother when she got home about Ferguson smoking cigarettes in the house and that discussion got a little loud.

Ferguson, who was downstairs watching TV with Sterling, went upstairs and told Della to quiet down and not speak to her mother that way, and that led to a “dust up,” police said during a news conference.

Ferguson then went to the bedroom, came back with a Glock handgun that was kept in a safe and shot Sterling in the leg when he tried to intercede, police said.

As the mother was going downstairs to call 911, she heard another gunshot.

Police believe that Ferguson shot Della on the deck, then went back into the house and shot Sterling in the chest.

Police said Ferguson, a convicted felon, then closed himself in a bedroom and apparently shot himself. Because of his criminal background, he would not have been allowed to possess a firearm, according to police.

Both teens were transported to Waterbury Hospital, where they were both pronounced deceased shortly after arrival.

Ferguson had been dating the victims’ mother for around two years and moved into the residence about two weeks ago, police said.

The mother is cooperative with the investigation.

The teens both attended Kaynor Technical High School in Waterbury and have close ties to the Watertown and Woodbury school communities, police said. School officials have been notified to provide services to peers and a crisis team is being sent to the school.

The superintendent of schools in Watertown released a statement on Wednesday morning.

“The Watertown community has suffered a tremendous loss. Two former students were tragically killed last night in a shooting at their home. Although the two siblings who were killed were not enrolled at our High School, they attended Watertown schools through eighth grade and formed close relationships with students and staff over the years. This morning, crisis teams are in place at Watertown High School and Swift Middle School to support students and staff as they grieve,” Supt. Rydell Harrison said in a statement. “Our school community, like the wonderful town we live in, will come together to do everything we can to provide support to our students, staff and families during this difficult time,” the statement goes on to say.

Watertown detectives, the State Police Western District Major Crime Evidence Collection Unit and the Waterbury States Attorney’s Office are investigating.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office is also investigating.

“The deaths of these children is a tragedy for our whole community and the police department extends our deepest sympathy to the victims mother, family and friends,” police said in a statement.

Police said they responded to the home three years earlier, on Oct. 22, 2016, after the mother’s husband and the father of the victims died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police called it an “unfortunate incident.”

SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

 





Source : Nbcnewyork