On Monday afternoon, August 14, an incident occurred in Springfield, Massachusetts. Police responded promptly after receiving reports of gunfire.
Victor Nieves, 34, and Kim Fairbanks, 52, were found deceased at the scene by officers, as reported by the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. Fairbanks was identified as the grandmother of three children who were also present in the house. Two of these children sustained gunshot wounds, and were subsequently transported to Baystate Medical Center. The 12-year-old was listed in stable condition, while her 10-year-old sister was transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital in critical condition. A 5-year-old boy was found unharmed.
An ongoing investigation by the Springfield Police Homicide Unit and the Hampden District Attorney’s Murder Unit suggests that Nieves, who lived upstairs in the multi-family home, forcibly entered Fairbanks’ apartment and began shooting at the family before subsequently ending his own life.
Both Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl C. Clapprood and Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni have expressed their sympathies to the affected families.