Pawtucket police investigating after officer shoots man who allegedly pointed gun at himself and others

Gino DeAngelis, Ryan Medeiros,

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — A police officer shot a man in Pawtucket Sunday.

The Pawtucket Police Department blocked off part of Broad Street and Exchange Street around 10:20 a.m. after police responded for multiple reports of a man with a gun that was pointing it at himself and others.

The department said that the suspect was in custody and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries from one gunshot wound to the shoulder.

The gun was also recovered and was being “tested to determine if it fires projectiles.”

Witnesses told ABC 6 the man’s gun appeared to have an orange cap, which would mean it was a toy, not a real gun.

“The officers are trained, but to make determination whether a gun is a toy gun or not a toy gun when they arrive on scene is a very difficult determination,” Police Chief Tina Goncalves said. “That would be the officer’s discretion, what he saw, what his perception was when he arrived.”

The officer who shot the man was also placed on administrative leave as part of protocol.

ABC 6 News crews on scene saw police tape across the road as well as several cruisers and officers.

A witness told ABC 6 he heard police yelling “drop it” before shooting a man.

The Attorney General’s Office and Rhode Island State Police was involved in the investigation.

Categories: News, Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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