Police shoot dead suspected sailboat thief in Rhode Island standoff

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 20:03 · Archive

Rhode Island police shot and killed a suspected sailboat thief who opened fire on officers aboard a stolen vessel in Newport Harbor.

Rhode Island police shot and killed Brendan Norris, 27, during a shootout aboard a stolen sailboat in Newport Harbor on 26 August. Norris had allegedly stolen the Pathfinder, a 1968 Hinkley Bermuda 40, from Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey, and sailed it to Rhode Island. Body camera footage shows four Newport officers approaching the vessel as Norris pulled up the anchor with the engines running.

When two officers boarded the boat, Norris fired at least one shot, striking one officer in the leg. Police returned fire in a barrage lasting 19 seconds. Two officers jumped from the stolen vessel to the harbormaster's boat to escape the gunfire. The wounded officer was hit in the leg and face with shrapnel.

Norris was found mortally wounded below deck with a severe gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer who was shot was hospitalised in stable condition for his leg wound but has since returned to work, according to Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy.

How it is being reported

• WATCH: Bodycam shows marina shootout with sailboat pirate in wealthy seaside resort townBodycam video captures the intense shootout between Newport, Rhode Island, police and a suspected thief who allegedly stole a sailboat from New Jersey.Fox News · 2 Nov, 18:46
• Moment RI cops gun down suspected sailboat bandit who fired at them aboard vessel he stoleIntense body camera footage captured the moment Rhode Island police officers got into a fatal shootout with a suspected sailboat bandit who had fired at them aboard the luxury vessel he stole from a New Jersey marina.New York Post · 1 Nov, 11:30

In this story: Brendan Norris · Newport Police Department · Newport Harbor · Liberty Harbor Marina · Jersey City · Rhode Island

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