A man was shot and killed by police in Fall River early Sunday morning after he allegedly shot two police officers, hitting one officer’s elbow and the other’s bullet-proof vest, South Coast officials announced Sunday.
Police responded to Linden Street in Fall River just after midnight Sunday following a 911 call reporting a person “possessed a firearm in a vehicle,” according to a press release from the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn.
Three officers arrived and found a man in an SUV, later identified as Fall River resident Nigel Vaughn, 40, prosecutors said. During a pat frisk, Vaughn allegedly “began to violently resist,” leading to a physical struggle. While on the ground, Vaughn then allegedly pulled a gun and fired at the officers, the DA’s office reported.
One officer was struck in the elbow, while the second officer was hit in the abdomen, the bullet-resistant vest absorbing the impact, prosecutors said. The third officer was not injured.
“Once again, this incident highlights the dangers police face in encounters with armed individuals,” Quinn stated. “The suspect has a violent history and the officers were just doing their job on a brutally cold night trying to protect the community. Through the grace of God, all of the officers’ lives were spared. I am grateful for their service and professionalism under the most difficult of circumstances.”
The officers fired back, shooting Vaughn before rendering aid. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, officials confirmed.
Following the shooting, Vaughn was found next to a Glock firearm equipped with a switch—an aftermarket modification that makes the weapon fully automatic, capable of firing multiple rounds with one trigger pull, prosecutors added.
Shortly before the incident, Fall River police had also interacted with Vaughn at Knight’s Gas Station on Linden Street. Police had responded to reports of reckless driving in the parking lot and a possible fight. During a brief interaction, Vaughn, who was accompanied by two other people, was instructed by police to leave the area.
### DA: ‘The suspect has a violent history’
Quinn referenced Vaughn’s “violent history,” which includes serving time in state prison related to a prior shooting, according to the Fall River Herald News.
In the early 2000s, Vaughn was a high-ranking member of the Mafioso gang before being sentenced to 18 to 20 years in state prison connected to a triple shooting in 2005. He was also indicted for another shooting in 2005 while incarcerated, the Herald News reported.
### Evidence and Investigation
Body camera footage of the incident has not been released. However, Quinn’s office shared multiple images allegedly showing the handgun, a muzzle flash from the handgun, the projectile striking an officer’s elbow, and spent ammunition casing. Additional images appear to show a bullet wound and the damaged bullet-resistant vest.
The two officers injured in Sunday’s shooting sustained non-life-threatening injuries and have since been discharged from the hospital.
“We are deeply grateful that our officers are able to return home to their families tonight,” said Fall River Police Chief Kelly Furtado. “Fall River is proud to be protected by some of the finest police officers.”
The investigation into the shooting is active and ongoing, the DA’s office confirmed.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/02/08/fall-river-man-shot-dead-by-police-after-shooting-2-officers-da-says/