11 officers cleared in deadly shooting of suspect in Cranston
by: Jusolyn Flower, Hannah Cotter
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — Eleven police officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing in a deadly shooting last year in Cranston.
On May 24, 2023, James Harrison was shot and killed following a pursuit and standoff that involved officers from the Cranston, Johnston and Providence police departments.
Police identified Harrison, 52, as a suspect in a triple shooting in Johnston and believed him to be armed and dangerous.
After an officer spotted Harrison’s vehicle at St. Ann Cemetery, police said he fled, leading them on a chase that ended with a crash on Plainfield Pike. He then reportedly got out of his vehicle and pointed a gun at police, who fired shots in response.
Harrison was struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident was investigated by Rhode Island State Police and the R.I. Attorney General’s Office. Based on the evidence, body-worn camera footage, and officer and witness statements, they concluded that the use of deadly force was “reasonable and legally justified.”
The investigative report noted that the officers “did not have much time to react or reason with Harrison,” and were authorized to use deadly force when he stepped out of the car with a gun drawn to defend themselves and others.
According to the R.I. Attorney General’s Office, the triple shooting was connected to a report made by Harrison’s next-door neighbor, Thomas May, who told police that Harrison was looking into his 15-year-old daughter’s bedroom on the night of May 23, 2023. Police responded but were unable to contact Harrison at that time.
The next morning, Johnston police returned to May’s home and found him shot dead and his daughter “grievously injured” from multiple gunshot wounds. Inside Harrison’s Ligian Court home, officers discovered the body of Janet Harrison, his 83-year-old mother, who had also been shot multiple times.
12 News reported last year that Thomas “TJ” May was a coach for his son’s Johnston Little League team and was a well-loved and respected figure in town.