By
The Associated Press
WATERBURY, Conn. - A man went on a killing spree Saturday, gunning down three people, including a firefighter who was collecting money for charity, before shooting himself to death, police said.
The gunman knew all three victims but authorities hadn't determined why he targeted them. One victim was a neighbor and another was the mother of an ex-girlfriend.
"It almost appears like it's three separate shootings for three different reasons," said Police Superintendent Edward Flaherty.
The shooting spree began when the suspect, identified as Mark Cote, 29, got into an argument with Brian Miller, 30, who lived in the same multiple family home as Cote, police said. The two had an ongoing dispute, but police would not say why they were arguing Saturday.
Flaherty said Cote shot Miller while his neighbor was sitting in his car, dragged him out and shot him again before fleeing in the car.
Police said Cote had two weapons, a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun and a Tech 9-type automatic pistol.
After shooting Miller, police said Cote drove a few miles to an intersection where four firefighters were collecting money from motorists for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Cote shot and killed firefighter Jamie Quinones, 38, then fled, police said.
About 15 minutes later, Maria Perez, 23, told an emergency dispatcher that Cote had shot and killed her mother. Perez broke off her relationship with Cote two weeks ago, police said.
Police arrived at the house and heard a gunshot. They found Cote dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the second floor. The body of Maria Hernandez, 40, was found on the first floor.
Cote's mother said her son did not have a history of violence, and gave no hints that something was wrong.
"He was perfectly fine this morning ... he was on the phone, he was fine," Rachel Cote said. "He left and then everything unfolded in the next hour."
Waterbury is about 25 miles southwest of Hartford.
