Officials release footage of officer-involved shooting at Bristol Police Station

BRISTOL, R.I. (WLNE) — The Bristol Police Department shared security footage from the incident where a man was shot by police after allegedly following two students.

Bristol Police said that on October 12, at approximately 9 p.m., they received a complaint from their parking lot from two students from Roger Williams University students who said a man they didn’t know was following them.

The students told police that the man, identified as 39-year-old Mark Rinn, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, approached them in Colt State Park making inappropriate hand gestures from his car. They became concerned for their safety and left the area immediately.

Police allege that Rinn followed the two women as they drove into the Bristol Police Station. The students parked next to a retired officer’s SUV and asked his spouse to call police for help.

The woman called police and a desk sergeant came from inside to respond to the call for help. That officer said he saw Rinn, completely naked, inside of his car parked next to the students.

Footage from the outside of the police department shows the suspect interacting with officers, then driving his car erratically, eventually crashing into the students’ car and other parked cars multiple times.

Officers can also be seen attempting to block Rinn from leaving the area by standing behind and in front of his car.

It is unclear at what point the shooting occurred but police say the investigation into the events that unfolded is ongoing. The officer that fired at Rinn was not wearing a body-worn camera at the time of the shooting because he was working the desk.

After the shooting, the desk sergeant immediately called for EMS and treated Rinn on the scene until he was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, police said.

On Oct. 16, Rinn was arraigned from his hospital bed and charged with four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. He pleaded not guilty and was granted $60,000 bond. He must also have no contact with the two victims.

The case remains under investigation by the Rhode Island State Police and the Attorney General’s Office.