A woman was shot and killed while in her car in Brockton, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, and her suspected killer was identified, authorities said.
The woman, identified as 22-year-old Stephanie Beatty, of Norwich, Connecticut, knew the man who killed her, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.
The shooting happened about 12:22 a.m. on Nason Street. Police found Beatty with a gunshot wound in the car, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, prosecutors said.
Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Gelson Fernandes, a 29-year-old from Brockton.
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Authorities didn't share how they believe Beatty and Fernandes knew each other.
Several neighbors woke up to the sound of police descending on the intersection of Nason and Tribou streets.
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"I just see police flying down the street and I open my window and I just saw police everywhere," witness Amy Puopolo said.
Investigators pulled up to a car and discovered a woman behind the wheel with a gunshot wound.
"They told me that somebody was shot right across my house," said Sandra Dhaiti.
Dhaiti said she heard a loud bang on her door.
"When I heard them knock and I went out, there was a police officer there asking questions, but I didn't know anything about it. I just saw a lot of police cars right there,” said Dhaiti.
An NBC10 Boston photographer at the scene saw investigators gathering evidence, placing markers and inspecting the bullet hole on driver's side window.
It’s unclear if the woman was shot at that corner where police found her car, but the proximity of the crime added worry for neighbors' safety.
"I'm very worried for the kids. We have we have four kids and there's other neighbors. They have other kids, too. And that never happens here before," Landwine Dessert said.
"I have a I have a four-month-old upstairs. So, I mean, I want to get out of the area, especially cause it’s the second shooting along the street alone in the past year, so I’m ready to leave," Puopolo said.
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call the Brockton Police Department at 508-941-0200.
CORRECTION (Dec. 8, 2023, 3:29 p.m.): An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that prosecutors said Fernandes was arrested. Authorities had not announced any arrests.
