Two officers put on administrative duty after standoff

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- Two Providence Police Officers have been placed on administrative duty, after a standoff that happened earlier this month.

Commander Thomas Verdi said that the officers were moved because of concerns about their response to the Denison Street shooting scene on Feb. 10.

Investigators want to know if the two officers had a delayed response to the scene, or if they even showed up at all.

The two officers could face disciplinary action after a full internal investigation.

Police responded to Denison Street shortly after 2 a.m. for a report of a man who assaulted his adult children. Police say a 12-year-old, the suspect’s granddaughter, was also in the home at the time of the assault.

Officers evacuated everyone from the home, that’s when 60-year-old Scott MacLean, barricaded himself in.

Commander Thomas Verdi said negotiators tried to convince MacLean to come out of the house safely.

“He did not want to engage with police at all,” Commander Verdi told ABC6. “They [police] learned very quickly that he is alone in the house and he has access to firearms. Some of the firearms are high powered semi assault weapons.”

Providence Police, Rhode Island State Police and SWAT units surrounded the home, and said they tried negotiating and speaking with MacLean for hours. MacLean then ‘repeatedly and continuously’ opened fire on Providence officers. Moments later, a bedroom in the home caught fire.

Police returned that gunfire.

No officers were injured in the shootout.