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Providence police officer catches teenage gunman

3:06 PM Wed, Apr 29, 2009 |
Amanda Milkovits    Email

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A police officer out on patrol in South Providence drove up on a 15-year-old boy firing a gun down Broad Street early Tuesday evening.

As Officer John Benros chased the boy down, he was suddenly surrounded by four other young men -- including the teenager's older brother -- who tried to help the shooter escape.

Benros fought off the other young men as they shoved him to the ground and managed to hang onto the shooter, before backup officers arrived a minute later.

On Wednesday afternoon, police Maj. Paul Fitzgerald said he was nominating Benros for a commendation in the department for his police work. "It was courageous. It was terrific. It was instinctive," Fitzgerald said. "He did all the right things."

Benros, a five-year veteran who usually patrols the South Side neighborhood, happened to see the boy firing at a house on the corner of Harvard Avenue and Broad Street just before 7:30 p.m. As Benros jumped out of his cruiser with his gun drawn, yelling at the boy to drop the gun, the teenager fired off another round and then ran in front of the cruiser to escape.

Benros pursued, chasing the boy around a house before tackling him to the ground.
That's when an SUV crowded with several young men, including the boy's older brother, drove up.

The young men dragged the teenage shooter away from the police officer, yelling at Benros to let the boy go, and shoving the officer to the ground, according to a police report. The boy tried to escape, but Benros kept a grip on him from the ground -- just long enough for other officers to arrive and help him handcuff the teenager. The boy had ditched the firearm when he was fleeing Benros, and the gun was not found, Fitzgerald said. However, the police found six .380 shell casings, he said.

The 15-year-old Providence boy was charged with possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm without a license, and discharging a firearm in a compact area. He was remanded to the Rhode Island Training School, Fitzgerald said.

Three of the four men who tried to help him escape were also arrested; Fitzgerald said a warrant was issued for the fourth young man, who was not named, but who said the shooter was his brother.

John Cotugno Fitzgerald, 25, of 35 Dartmouth St., Malcolm Crowell, 18, of 14 Dresser St., and another 15-year-old Providence boy were all charged with simple assault and obstructing a police officer, Fitzgerald said.

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Comments

Ed said:

SO... what dirtbag is going to be the first to stick up for these little hoodlums?.. please keep in mind, my personal survey does not include the ACLU.. that's an Organization.

Link | April 29, 2009 3:22 PM
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dkljafkjddfklakfjda said:

THIS IS INSANE, THE PROVIDENCE STREETS ARE FLOODED WITH HUDLUMS WHO HAVE NOTHING TO LOOSE ARE A WILLING TO KILLL ANY ONE WITHOUT REALIZING THE CONSEQUENCES. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO I WAS SITTING IN MY CAR ON THE SAME STREET WAITING FOR A CHILD TO GET OFF THEIR BUS STOP. ALL OF A SUDDEN AN UNDERCOVER COP WAS CHASING A SUSPECT WHO WAS IN A CAR AN ALMOST HIT ME, BUT INSTEAD IT HIT ANOTHER CAR WHICH CAUSED THE SUSPECTS CAR TO GO THROUGH A FENCE AND FLEW THE SCENE. IF ANYONE WOULD OF BEEN WALKING DOWN THAT STREET THERE WOULD OF BEEN ANOTHER LIFE LOST. I FEARED FOR MY OWN LIFE. BROAD ST, HARVARD AVE AND SOMERSET ST ARE THE WORSE STREETS TO EVEN PASS BY.

Link | April 29, 2009 3:44 PM
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Marcus said:

Simple assault ??? How about felony assault ?.. how about putting these scum into prison for 10 years . a police officer could have been killed in a scrum like that.

Link | April 29, 2009 4:17 PM
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Rick Gregoire said:

The big question will be this.
Are all the existing firearms regulations going to be enforced? If they're not going to be it will be an extravagant waste of a great effort of valour.
I failed to see any media comment regarding Officer Benros's restraint in not opening fire on an armed and evidently dangerous individual. He would have been vilified if he had.

Link | April 29, 2009 4:39 PM
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major said:

Times are getting rough and only the people living in the area really understand this. The kids are getting as dangerous as the police.

Link | April 29, 2009 5:01 PM
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NANI said:

Cops dont get paid enough for what they have do , imagine going to work being scared you might not come home at later. Kids need to be watched by the parents closely but unfortunatly they are not and then society has to deal with them.. I agree simple assault not good enough to punish those trouble makers.

Link | April 29, 2009 5:20 PM
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A Mom said:

thank Governor Carcieri for cutting the funds which would have kept these kids in school or in a part time job.

Link | April 30, 2009 1:24 PM
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