SandyMaloneProvidence, RI – Video shows two angles of an entire line of officers opening fire on a suspect in a white pickup truck (video below.)
The incident started after police were searching a neighborhood for a suspect who has stolen a patrol car on Thursday.
“The trooper was transporting the individual to court this morning and came upon an accident scene, and somewhere along those lines, again it’s still being investigated, but the suspect somehow from the rear of the vehicle got into the vehicle, the front of the vehicle, and drove the cruiser,” said Rhode Island State Police Colonel Ann Assumpico.
Sometime while the officers were searching for the suspect, they came upon another suspect in a white pickup who fled from police.
Authorities held a press conference Thursday afternoon, and explained that they didn’t have much information about the officer-involved shooting.
“The individual that was shot and killed by police officers is not the person that stole the trooper car. The investigation continues,” Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steve Pare said.
“The female that was with this male is still at the hospital. Her condition is unknown at this point,” Pare said.
“Some of the Providence police officers had body-cams, and we’re reviewing that and other video that may be available,” he said.
“There was the theft of a trooper car. And then there was this chase by the police officers, and then deadly force was used,” he said.
The shooting was captured on video, but Pare said they don’t yet know what occurred to cause the incident.
“This is not directly related to the theft of the trooper vehicle. But this suspect – and this where we‘re continually investigating the circumstances about the high speed pursuit with this individual,” he said.
Amanda Milkovits with Providence Journal spoke with Juan Carlos Ardaya, a witness who recorded part of the shooting.
Ardaya said that the suspect’s pickup was repeatedly ramming other vehicles as officers ordered the man to get out of the truck. At one point, the truck backed up, and an officer needed to dodge out of the way.
“That’s when they started shooting,” Ardaya told Providence Journal. The truck “was putting in danger the people in front of the car.”
CBS News reports that the suspect was actively shooting at the officers; it’s not clear if that report is accurate.
The first round of gunfire was not captured on video. Ardaya and another person who recorded the incident took out their cameras after the shooting started.
After a brief lull, the truck started forward again and the officers’ second volley of gunfire was captured on video.
The male driver was killed, and the female passenger was transported to the hospital.
“I’m thankful to the police.” Ardaya told Providence Journal. “They were around me. They were trying to keep me protected and the people [around] me. The people who tried to escape didn’t care about that. I feel the police were doing their job and tried to wait until the last moment for the person to surrender. And, I feel sad for the people who died.”
Col. Assumpico said the escapee, Morgan, is still at large. He had been in custody for for obstruction and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Morgan’s escape occurred while he was being transferred for his arraignment on those charges.
Col. Assumpico wouldn’t say if Morgan was dangerous, but said he was wearing handcuffs when he escaped from police custody.
Police are actively searching for Morgan at this time.
Pare said they’ll continue to investigate the shooting.
You can see the videos of the shooting below. Multiple videos, scroll down for more.