JOHNSTON, R.I. AP — Eleven police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a Rhode Island man last year have been cleared of any wrongdoing, according to a report from the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
James Harrison, a resident of Johnston, was shot by police after fleeing the scene of a triple shooting, where he was accused of killing his mother and another man, and injuring the man’s daughter. Ten officers from Cranston and one from Providence fired at Harrison as he exited his car and pointed a gun at them.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated that the officers’ actions were reasonable and legally justified.
This was a very dangerous situation involving an armed suspect who had just shot multiple people, killing two of them, Neronha said. The officers had little time to react or negotiate with Harrison.
The report confirmed that Harrison pointed a gun at the officers, a fact supported by bodycam footage and a witness’s cell phone video. It also noted that the officers only fired after seeing Harrison with the gun, and a silver semiautomatic handgun was found near his body.
Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist said that police first spotted Harrison early on May 24. The incident reportedly started as a domestic and neighborhood dispute that escalated into the killings.
During a chase, Harrison drove the wrong way on Plainfield Pike in Cranston, swerved at police vehicles, and struck one. His vehicle became disabled after hitting a rock, and he was shot as he got out of the car.