A Crowley JROTC instructor, Gene Bass, was shot and killed by his son, Xavier Bass, in a tragic incident. According to witnesses and court documents, Gene Bass, who was also an Army Master Sergeant, told his son to stop playing with a gun moments before being shot.
Incident Details
The shooting occurred on Friday, June 28th, outside Gene Bass’s home. Witnesses reported seeing Xavier Bass pull up in a black Mustang, get out of the car, and toss a handgun in the air. Gene Bass was heard saying, “Boy, stop playing with that gun before you shoot someone.” Moments later, Gene Bass was shot multiple times and died at the scene.
Investigation and Arrest
Court documents reveal that home surveillance video captured the moments leading up to and after the deadly shooting. Xavier Bass was arrested a day later in Georgia. According to the documents, a woman who knew Xavier Bass in Georgia said he had told her weeks before the shooting that he needed to drive to Texas and that she would find out why when she saw it on the news.
Motive and Background
Xavier Bass reportedly blamed his father for not making things better and leaving him with his mother to struggle. On the day before the shooting, he allegedly told the woman that he was going to drive to see his mom, sell his Mustang, and check himself into a mental hospital. Despite attempts by the woman and others to contact him, they never heard back.
Legal Proceedings
The exact cause and motive for the murder remain unclear, and Xavier Bass remains in a Georgia jail, awaiting the legal process to be transferred to Texas.