In Our Quiet Town

From the Daily Comet:

THIBODAUX -- Police are investigating separate, unrelated incidents this afternoon where a 56-year-old man and a 23-year-old mother of two died from gunshot wounds.

Ronald Babin, of 101 Belmont Drive, suffered a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head inside his home, said Lt. Sam Pruitt, spokesman for the Thibodaux Police Department.

Across the bayou on East 2nd Street, Victoria Brown died from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, Pruitt said. Brown's family said she has a 5-year-old son and 1-year-old son.

It is unclear whether Brown's death was a suicide or a homicide, Pruitt added.

The suicide happened a couple of streets over from where I live. The family had asked for Babin to be put in protective custody. He was a former police officer, who had been arrested Saturday for "disturbing the peace, simple assault, simple criminal damage to property and remaining after being forbidden."

In the other death:

Brown's body was located on the bedroom floor next to her bed, Pruitt said. Police located an automatic handgun about one foot from her head, but her hands were not near the gun and police are unclear who the gun belongs to, Pruitt said.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.