Investigation and Review Determined Actions by Officer were Justified
In accordance with the Attorney General's Protocol Regarding Use of Deadly Force Incidents and Custodial Deaths, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today released the results of the investigation into the April 4, 2018 officer involved shooting by a member of the Tiverton Police Department.
After a thorough investigation by the Tiverton Police Department and Rhode Island State Police and review by the Office of the Attorney General, it has been determined that the shooting by Lt. Scott Beaulieu of the Tiverton Police Department was in full compliance with Rhode Island state law regarding the use of deadly force, as well as the law of self-defense.
Based on the results of the investigation, the Office of the Attorney General determined it is not necessary to present the matter for grand jury review. Attached is the report outlining the factual summary of the incidents that took place on April 4, 2018, the legal standards which are applied, legal analysis, and conclusion.
The review was conducted by Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division John E. Sullivan.
Commenting on the incident, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin said, "The Tiverton Police Department relied on their training to de-escalate an extremely volatile situation and stop an individual with a loaded firearm who later admitted would try to make the incident a 'suicide by cop thing.' There are no routine calls for police officers. Each time police officers are called to a scene, they face a great level of uncertainty and danger. In most cases, an officer has very little, if any, information when he or she answers a call, and a situation can become dangerous within seconds, as this incident did. Thankfully, neither the officers nor the victim were injured, and that is owed to the excellent work by the Tiverton Police Department."
"These are difficult situations. We take no pleasure nor want any recognition for having to use force on citizens we are sworn to protect," said Tiverton Police Chief Patrick W. Jones. "Our officers are trained to protect life through the legal application of force when necessary. The exoneration of our officers based on the thorough investigation and review of the Attorney General's Office and Rhode Island State Police is verification of that training and their professionalism."