Man gunned down in downtown Providence; 2 in custody
By: News Staff
news@abc6.com
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A chaotic scene erupted in downtown Providence just after noon on Monday when a man was gunned down inside his car near the Crawford street Bridge.
“I heard about five or six shots,” said Ashley Gauthier, who works across the street and heard the commotion from her office. “Definitely a little uncomfortable, we walk these streets everyday to go to lunch.”
According to police, a man identified as 22-year-old Matthew DePina had just left Providence Superior Court when he was shot by two men waiting for him outside.
“It does appear to be related to an incident or a situation going on in the court, a hearing going on, and we believe that to be the reason for the shooting. And the suspects waited for him in this general vicinity. It’s not random, it’s targeted we believe,” said Colonel Hugh Clements with the Providence Police Department.
A court Spokesperson tells ABC 6 News that a group of around a dozen people got into a confrontation in a courtroom where the judge was not on the bench shortly before the shooting. We’re told there was pushing, shoving and elbows were flying before the group was escorted from the building.
A man by the name Carlos DePina was on the docket to be arraigned in that courtroom on drug and gun charges. It is not clear at this point if Carlos DePina and Matthew DePina are related, or if the fight had anything to do with his court appearance.
Police do say that they believe Matthew DePina was targeted.
After the shooting, the suspects took off, but were soon tracked down by police on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick.
The Crawford Street Bridge in Providence was shut down for hours while police continued their investigation.
“This could have been far worse. We will hold these people responsible. It’s despicable they would do something like this in a major area in downtown providence in daytime hours,” said Colonel Clements.
The investigation is ongoing. No charges had been filed against the two suspects as of early Monday evening.
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017
