'Stark reminder': Cranston man found dead after shooting gun at wife, police officers

CRANSTON – A Cranston man diagnosed with terminal cancer fired several gunshots at his wife then shot at responding police officers before apparently taking his own life Tuesday night, Cranston Police Col. Michael J. Winquist said in a news release.

Neither the police officers nor the woman was struck in the incident, which drew multiple police departments to a Cranston neighborhood and prompted the evacuation of nearby houses, according to Winquist.

The man was identified as Neil Douglas, 69.

Police officers went to 18 Harding Ave. at about 8:05 p.m. after receiving a report about "a domestic disturbance where a male suspect produced a handgun and fired several shots at his wife inside the home after making homicidal and suicidal statements."

The woman was able to escape from the home and call 911 from a neighbor's phone, the police said.

When officers got to the house and were outside their cruisers establishing a perimeter, Douglas fired two shots at them, which struck a house across the street, Winquist said.

The Cranston police evacuated nearby houses and brought in their special reaction, drone and negotiation teams. They also received mutual aid support from multiple neighboring police agencies.

Crisis negotiators tried for several hours to make contact with Douglas; shortly after midnight, officers went into the house and found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Winquist said. Several firearms were found near his body, according to Winquist.

Winquist said the incident was "a stark reminder of the dangers police officers face daily when answering calls to protect their fellow citizens."

"This is a tragic incident could have resulted in a murder-suicide and serious injury or death of a police officer," Winquist said. "Our thoughts go out to all of the families impacted."

Winquist also thanked the police agencies that "provided tremendous support for the duration of this event."

They are the Rhode Island State Police, Warwick police, Providence police, East Providence police and the Rhode Island Bomb Squad.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 'Stark reminder': Cranston man found dead after shooting gun at wife, police officers