Stolen boat recovered, suspect dead

A confrontation over a stolen sailboat turned fatal when a suspect opened fire on police, grazing an officer before the suspect was shot and killed. This occurred shortly after 9:00am on August 26 in Newport, RI.

The sailboat, a 1968 Hinckley Bermuda 40 named Pathfinder, was reported stolen on August 22 from the Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Photos and video of the boat and suspect were posted August 25 on social media, and when the harbormaster and officers approached the vessel which matched the description in Newport Harbor, they spotted a man standing on the deck.

“The male fled below deck, ignoring commands from officers,” said Chief Ryan Duffy. “The party armed himself with a firearm, and shots were fired. The suspect is deceased.”

The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Brendan Norris of Newport. A veteran Newport officer suffered a graze wound in the exchange and was expected to recover. The motive behind the alleged stealing of the boat and the gun fire remains under investigation. – News video