One week later: What we know about Providence officer involved shooting
By: Samantha Fenlon
Email: sfenlon@abc6.com
Twitter: @sfenlonABC6
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — One week after the deadly officer involved shooting on the 95 on-ramp next to the Providence Place Mall, ABC6 News is taking a look back at the series.
The chaos began around 9:00 last Thursday morning when a State Police trooper was transporting car theft suspect Donald Morgan to court.
That trooper, Michael Doherty, pulled over on 146 South to help with an accident.
It was then that Morgan who was handcuffed in the backseat got into the front of the cruiser and stole the car.
Shortly after, the cruiser was found abandoned in the Elmwood section of Providence with a weapon inside.
Around 10 a.m., a Providence Police officer received a tip that Morgan jumped in the back of a white pick up truck.
Then, at 10:30 a.m., Cranston Police attempted to stop a truck that they believed Morgan could be in.
The driver, Joseph Santos, did not stop.
The high speed chase from Route 10 to 95 was caught on the DOT’s traffic cameras.
It all came to a head on the on–ramp next to the Providence Place Mall.
Providence Police and State Police converged on the white pick up firing around 40 rounds.
32–year–old Santos was killed, his 37–year–old passenger, Christine Demers, was injured in the gunfire.
As of Thursday, she is said to be in good condition.
An autopsy has since revealed that Santos died from a gunshot wound to the neck.
The deadly confrontation was also captured on a Providence Police body camera.
“We believe that footage shows the acts of the officers as doing exactly what we would want them to do,” said Providence Police Col. Hugh Clements at a press conference one day after the deadly shooting.
Morgan was not in the truck and was captured in Cumberland Friday night. Two people keeping him inside their home were also arrested.
Five days after the shooting, Morgan faced a judge. That day, ABC6 learned that Morgan and Santos knew one another.
Morgan remains behind bars and the investigation still on-going.
Ultimately, a grand jury will review the officer involved shooting.
©WLNE 2017
