CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — Police say a local restaurant is temporarily closed as they investigate a shooting there that left one person hospitalized.
Police were working a detail outside a restaurant on Phenix Avenue around midnight when they say a shooting happened within arms reach of officers. The business, 39 West, had a large tent outside the restaurant during their event.
Maj. Todd Patalano said there is a heavy police presence in that area this weekend because of St. Mary’s Feast, an annual event in Cranston.
“We were under the tent when this happened,” Patalano said shortly after the shooting. “There’s nothing else we could have done to prevent it, we were there when it happened.”
One of the officers at the scene was involved in a struggle with one person when another person was shot, according to police. Police are looking for a second person involved.
“We’re lucky no other officers were hit and we hope this person recovers,” he said.
St. Mary’s Feast will not be impacted, Patalano says, and related events will go on as usual.