« Traffic update: 95S lanes reopen after rollover | Today | Motorcyclist killed in crash ID'd as Bristol man, 59 »

July 31, 2007

Update: Arraignment tied to police shooting delayed

PAWTUCKET -- The arraignment of a Pawtucket man, who had been wanted for questioning "regarding his involvement in providing the handgun" that Jason Audette possessed when he was shot and killed by police Friday, has been delayed.

The police today announced the arrest of Christopher Jones, 27, of 54 Coyle Ave. He was taken into custody in Lincoln by a Pawtucket Police special squad with assistance from Lincoln officers, according to a news release today.

The police news release said Jones was to be arraigned today at 2 p.m. on charges linked to the accusation Jones provided the gun to Audette, the police said. But they were not ready to bring a charge at that point in court

Now, the police expect Jones will be arraigned on the charge of illegal transfer of a firearm. The arraignment will be held at the Pawtucket police station by a bail commissioner, said Detective Lt. Daniel Mullen.

The police release says at the time of his arrest last night, Jones had four outstanding warrants.

Audette, 34, of 544 Central Ave. in Pawtucket, was killed Friday afternoon at the tenement house at 62-64 Coyle Ave.

Officers called to the scene of a break-in on Coyle Avenue and shot Audette, a burglary suspect there and who police said had a gun in his hand.

All together, Officers David Holden, 26, Mark Ramos, 31, and Christopher LeFort, 37, fired about a dozen shots at Audette with .40-caliber Glock service weapons, killing him. The incident happened within seconds. Pawtucket Police Chief George L. Kelley III couldn’t say whether Audette had fired any shots.

Police have said Audette had a history of drug abuse and break-ins. Court records showed he had pleaded no contest to larcenies, break-ins, assaults and drug possession dating to 1989.

It was the second fatal shooting by Pawtucket police within 36 hours.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 6:06 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)