Mother of Melissa White, Melissa Trottier, holds up a picture of her daughter. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News

By Sam Wroblewski, reporting by Steve Klamkin WPRO News

A man has been charged with murder following a deadly shooting early Sunday morning in Swansea.

Timothy Levesque was arrested on-scene in the area of 356 Ocean Grove after shot and fatally wounded 23-year-old Melissa White; Levesque claims he was acting in self-defense.

“Mr. Levesque did everything he was supposed to do,” said defense attorney John Francoeur, “he speed-dialed his wife, Mr. Levesque’s words to wife were ‘I had to shoot somebody, call 911’ and she did that and he waited there with the weapon on the car and waited for the Swansea police to arrive and cooperated fully.”

Levesques claims he pursued White and two other young males around 1:35am after they had an altercation with his son who got stabbed. Levesque said he drew his handgun in self-defense after White threatened him with a crowbar.

However prosecutors say there was no crowbar.

“As Mr. Levesque backed up, he took out his firearm; Ms. White was heard to say ‘What are you going to do? Shoot me?’ and then a shot was fired,” said Prosecutor Dennis Collins.

The 56-year-old retired correctional officer was charged with murder and assault and battery and was ordered held without bail for a probable cause hearing on September 22.