Police find shoplifting suspects’ vehicle after officer-involved shooting
by: Sarah Doiron
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — The search continues for two shoplifting suspects who injured a Cranston officer in their escape, according to police.
Police said the suspects — a man and a woman — stole a rack of clothing from the lululemon at Garden City Center Sunday evening.
The suspects then hopped into a car and sped out of the parking lot. Police said a responding officer noticed the suspects’ vehicle stopped at a red light on Reservoir Avenue near the Cranston-Providence line and walked over to confront them.
Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer opened the driver’s side door and demanded the suspects get out, according to police.
Police said the man, who was driving, refused, and the woman, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat, yelled at him to “go, go, go!”
That’s when the man hit the gas and drove away, running over the officer’s foot in the process, according to police. In response, the officer fired a single round at the vehicle as it sped off.
Police said the officer, only identified as a female, was brought to Kent Hospital for treatment and has since been released.
Neither suspect has been caught at this time. Police said their vehicle, which is registered in Massachusetts, was found abandoned Monday on Niantic Avenue.
The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and R.I. State Police are investigating the incident, as is required by state law, since the officer fired her service weapon.
The officer is currently out on administrative leave, but is expected to return to duty once she’s medically cleared.
“Since it appears the [suspects were] not seriously injured or killed, there is no requirement to place the officer on administrative leave or modified duty,” Cranston Police Col. Michael Winquist explained.
Anyone with information on the suspects is asked to call Cranston police at (401) 942-2211.