East Providence man accused of violently attacking 74-year-old with hammer indicted

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — An East Providence man accused of violently attacking another with a hammer over the summer was indicted.

Attorney General Peter Nerohna said Kenneth Jackson was charged in Providence Superior Court with several counts of felony assault, including assault with attempt to murder.

Jackson is accused of attacking the 74-year-old man on July 5 in the parking lot of Shaw’s supermarket on Willet Avenue in East Providence.

Nerohna said Jackson, 47, was found by police sitting at a nearby picnic table and arrested him.

The victim was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for his injuries.

Surveillance footage from Shaw’s shows the 74-year-old man walking away from Dollar Tree store with Jackson following him close behind, said the attorney general.

Jackson then is seen allegedly hitting the man twice in the back of the head with the hammer, unprovoked, according to Neronha.

After getting consent from Jackson to search his apartment, police said they found a letter written by the suspect that described his plans to kill someone that day.

Jackson will face a Superior Court judge in October.