Man Shoots Girlfriend Dead On Road During Argument In Toddler Daughter's Presence

A man in Connecticut, who shot his girlfriend dead in the presence of their toddler daughter, has told police that he "snapped" during an argument and "opened fire" at her.

The accused, identified as 27-year-old Rashod Newton, got into a heated argument with his girlfriend, 28-year-old Alessia Mesquita, inside their car Monday morning.

The woman then got out of the car, carrying bags. Newton too stepped out of the vehicle, pulled off his gun, and opened fire at her, killing the woman on the spot. Their 1-year-old child was in the backseat of the vehicle when the shooting took place. The entire incident was caught on CCTV.

Upon hearing the gunshots, a New Haven police officer came running toward the crime scene. As soon as the accused saw the cop, Newton got inside the vehicle quickly and sped away.

"We have an extra duty Officer Mortali, who was working right in the area of Clifton and he heard the gunshots, and he was able to provide us with some information right away," Acting New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez said, WTIC-TV reported.

Police were able to locate the accused and the child a short time later. The toddler was not hurt in the incident, but was, however, taken to the hospital for medical evaluation.

The man was taken into custody. He made a court appearance Tuesday during which he confessed to the crime and said that he "snapped" and "opened fire."

He was charged with murder, risk of injury of a child and criminal possession of a firearm. He remained in jail as of Wednesday and his bond was set at $3 million. He is scheduled to appear in court again on April 6, NBC Connecticut reported.

Meanwhile, an investigation revealed that the man had a criminal history. The victim’s family members told the officers that their relationship was tumultuous and had a history of domestic violence. Details regarding the child’s custody were not known.

The incident comes months after a man in West Virginia shot his wife in the back of her head during an argument as their 4-year-old son slept in a nearby room.