Suspect dies after standoff in Cranston
by GABRIELLE CARACCIOLO, NBC 10 NEWS
CRANSTON, R.I. — Cranston Police said there was a close call Tuesday night when a suspect shot at officers responding to a 911 call on Harding Avenue.
Police said around 8 p.m., 69-year-old Neil Douglas shot at his wife.
She was able to escape and call 911, but police said they were quickly shot at upon arrival.
“All of us know that when we go out, we have this uniform that we can be targeted by somebody, and we can be killed instantly by going out just trying to do our jobs every day,” Col. Winquist, the Cranston Police Chief said.
No one was hit, but bullets did hit a house across the street.
One went through the living room, but the family had already evacuated to the backyard.
“I’m just thankful that we didn’t have any serious injuries or a death of the police officer or a member the public,” he said.
After crisis negotiators spent hours trying to contact the suspect, police were able to enter the home.
They said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to police, Douglas had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and his health was deteriorating.
“Unfortunately last night’s situation we believe there was some threats that were made prior to this incident happening, and unfortunately they were never reported to police,” he said. “We just ask that if somebody is being threatened or they see a loved one that is in a mental health crisis, they report it to police, doesn’t mean we’re going to go out and arrest the person, more than likely we’re not. We’re just going to make sure we connect them to the right resources and that way they can get the help that they need.”
Police said they’ve recovered three guns from the home that they believe were obtained legally.
They said they had been called there before for minor service, but nothing that would allow them to predict something like this was coming.