Man dead, officer injured in shootout after boat stolen from N.J. turns up in Rhode Island
A man is dead after a shootout with police in Newport, Rhode Island, that also left an officer injured.
It happened Wednesday morning at Newport's North Anchorage.
The Newport Harbormaster's Office was on the lookout for a 40-foot vintage luxury yacht that had been reported stolen from New Jersey, police said.
The boat was stolen from Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City late Saturday night. Surveillance cameras caught the brazen theft. The suspect jumped a gate, unlocked the boat, and sailed away, according to police.
Boat owner Jim Bonomo is still wrapping his head around the wild turn of events involving his 1968 Hinckley Bermuda.
"My wife and I came down to do an afternoon sail, and I look at the dock and it's like, where the hell's the boat?" Bonomo said.
Just before 9 a.m. Wednesday, police officers in Newport were called after a vessel matching its description was spotted anchored there.
As officers approached the boat, a man on board fled below deck and grabbed a gun, police said. He ignored shouted commands from those officers, according to police.
"Shots were fired during the encounter," Newport police said.
The suspect was fatally shot. A Newport police officer was shot in the leg and rushed to the hospital. That officer has since been released and is recovering at home, according to authorities.
Newport police identified the suspect as Brendan Norris, 27, a Newport resident.
Bonomo told CBS News New York that the boat involved was his, and said he has been in touch with police in Rhode Island. The suspect apparently disabled the GPS device on the boat shortly after getting on board.
Considered the Rolls-Royce of boats, it's unclear if the Hinckley Bermuda was specifically targeted by the suspect or a random theft.
"It's an older boat, so you kinda have to know what you're doing," Bonomo said. "It's not like you could just go flip a switch and turn a key."
For now, Bonomo, who has spent countless years working on and investing in the prized vessel, says he's thankful for the outcome.
"We'll assess this situation and then figure out how to get her back home," he said.
