Attorney General says Rhode Island police killing of armed Johnston double murder suspect James Harrison was “justified”

“This was an extremely dangerous standoff involving an armed, fugitive felon who had previously shot at multiple individuals earlier that day, killing two of them,” said the report, signed by Assistant Attorney General Daniel Guglielmo and Deputy Attorney General Adi Goldstein.

“The officers did not have much time to react or talk to Harrison,” the report continues. “Harrison got out of his car with his gun drawn, ready to go. The moment the officers saw him point a gun at him, [Cranston police] Officers [Brendan] Burke and [Robert] Maione, you were authorized to use deadly force in self-defense and in defense of others. This matter is therefore closed.”

An analysis conducted by the Rhode Island State Police Forensic Services Division found that 10 Cranston police officers and one Providence police officer fired their firearms during the altercation, officials wrote.

Cranston Police Chief Colonel Michael Winquist told the Globe on Friday he was not surprised by the results of the attorney general's investigation because an internal review of the incident by his department had previously found that officers had followed policies, training and procedures.

Winquist said that since all officers in the department are equipped with body-worn cameras, it is “easy to quickly verify” what happened.

In accordance with the department's use of deadly force policy, each of the officers was placed on paid administrative leave following the incident and all have since returned to work, he said.

“I thought [the officers] did an excellent job,” said Winquist.

“They have used all the resources and training at their disposal to eliminate this threat,” he added.

Providence Police Chief Colonel Oscar Perez Jr. said the officers involved “faced a life-threatening situation that required quick thinking and training to prevent further loss of life and ensure the safety of the public.”

“The courage demonstrated, coupled with the integrity of the investigative process, underscores the dedication of our law enforcement officers to ensuring justice even in the most dangerous situations,” Perez said in a statement to the Globe on Friday.

Johnston police first responded to May's home at 2 Ligian Court shortly before midnight on May 23, 2023, after May called police to report that Harrison had climbed a ladder and attempted to look into May's teenage daughter's bedroom, according to the report.

Police tried to find Harrison at his neighbor's house at 4 Ligian Court but were unsuccessful, prosecutors wrote.

The next morning around 7:30 a.m., Johnston Police Officer Scott Hopkins returned to serve Harrison a “no trespassing” notice and saw Harrison drive past him while apparently making “a shooting gesture with his hand,” the report said.

Hopkins then saw May's daughter lying on the lawn in front of their home screaming while suffering multiple gunshot wounds, officials wrote. May was found dead in his garage with a gunshot wound to the head, the report said.

Officers then found Harrison's mother in her neighbor's house, lying dead on the floor with numerous gunshot wounds.

Authorities issued a BOLO (Be on the Lookout) alert for Harrison, who was eventually spotted at St. Ann Cemetery in Cranston around 9:30 a.m.

Harrison refused to stop for police, and officers pursued him through Cranston and Providence for about seven minutes, officials wrote. Harrison then lost control of his SUV and crashed in a grassy area near 2000 Plainfield Pike, not far from the Route 295 overpass in Cranston, according to the report.

Prosecutors wrote that “several officers” believed Harrison fired his weapon first, but a closer investigation revealed that this was not true.

“Given the level of tension and chaos, it is not surprising that some officials made errors,” the report said.

In some of the 15 bodycam videos released by Cranston police and reviewed by the Globe, an officer with a gun drawn can be heard yelling at Harrison and ordering him not to move.

The videos show that Harrison ignored orders to put his hands up and several police officers opened fire when they saw Harrison “pulling a silver handgun in their direction,” the report said.

During their investigation, state police found a “silver and black” semi-automatic Colt pistol next to Harrison's body, according to the report.

A fully loaded revolver was also found in the glove compartment of Harrison's Buick, the report said.

Prosecutors wrote that police were “authorized to fire their weapons in self-defense.”

“Mr. Harrison gave no indication that he had any intention of turning himself in to law enforcement – quite the opposite,” the report said.

The report said officers initially “positioned themselves some distance from Harrison to isolate and encircle him” and there was “no rush to engage him.”

“The video evidence confirms that police did not fire until Harrison visibly extended his arm and pointed his weapon at the officers who were standing approximately 20 feet in front of him,” the report said.

“This was an extremely dangerous situation that placed the officers and nearby civilians in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury,” the document continues. “Our review of the evidence supports the conclusion that the use of deadly force was objectively reasonable and necessary under the circumstances.”

Christopher Gavin can be reached at [email protected].