Man Involved in Providence Place Mall Riots Arrested With Loaded & Illegal Firearm at Walmart
GoLocalProv News Team
Man Involved in Providence Place Mall Riots Arrested With Loaded & Illegal Firearm at Walmart
21-year-old Xavier Crespo was apprehended and arrested following the Walmart incident with a firearm later found to be loaded -- and illegal — and is currently being held.
SEE DETAILS BELOW
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“[Crespo] was involved in breaking into the mall the night of the Providence riots,” Providence Police Major David Lapatin told GoLocalProv, of the events that occurred in the city the morning of June 2.
“We also now have reports he pointed the weapon [at someone] prior to entering the Walmart," said Lapatin.
Lapatin said Crespo is expected to be arraigned today.
There were three shootings overnight in Providence, with one victim transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Walmart Incident -- and Shootings
Saturday 8/29 2:30 PM
On Saturday, August 29, 2020 at approximately 1430 Hours, Police were dispatched to 51 Silver Spring Street (Walmart) for a report of a Hispanic male subject wearing a black Puma sweatshirt and gray Adidas pants observed on camera displaying a firearm inside of the store.
Upon arrival [police] entered the store through the main entrance and alerted store employees at the entrance to stop customers from entering the store.
Police were then approached by a Walmart associate who immediately advised Police that the male subject was currently in line in the front end of the store near the registers. Police immediately advanced towards that section of the store with their Department issued firearms un-holstered in the low ready position. The subject was then located by Police with his hands concealed inside the center pocket of his sweatshirt.
Police drew down on the suspect and gave loud verbal commands — [subject] kept his hands concealed however due to the prior information provided by store security to dispatch, as well as the large volume of civilian customers in close proximity to the suspect, Police immediately approached [subject] and grabbed both arms and hands of him securing them tightly for officer safety while a patrolman maintained the low-ready position on the suspect.
As Patrolman grabbed his left hand he felt what he believed to be a heavy weighted object in the front center pocket of the subject where his hands were concealed. As Police took subject to the ground, a patrolman retrieved a black and tarnished silver semi-automatic firearm from his person, which was located inside the center front pocket of his sweatshirt. Subject was immediately placed into handcuffs which were double locked and check for tightness and was then searched incident to arrest and secured into the back prisoner compartment area of a marked patrol vehicle.
Patrolman seized the firearm, a semi-automatic handgun with a tarnished silver Smith and Wesson PK.380 upper receiver and a black Walther lower receiver. The firearm had an obliterated serial number. The firearm was loaded with one round of .380 ammunition in the chamber and three in the magazine. The firearm was hand delivered to BCI for further processing.
Subject had an active Superior Court Bench Warrant.
Police body worn cameras were activated.
Saturday 8/29 8:16 PM
On Saturday, August 29, 2020 at approximately 2016 hrs., police were dispatched to the area of 903 Providence Place for a report of shots fired.
Upon arrival, police spoke with the caller [who] stated that she was getting off the 95 off-ramp when she observed a [vehicle] actively shooting a firearm out of the sunroof of the vehicle from the passenger side.
One car fled in the direction of Harris Avenue and [the shooter] fled in an unknown direction.
Police arrived on scene and observed (4) spent 9mm caliber shell casings to be in the roadway in front of the 903 residences.
Saturday 8/29 8:41 PM
On Saturday 8/29/20 at approximately 2041 hrs police were dispatched to 13 Greeley Street for a possible shooting victim.
Upon arrival, police confirmed the shooting and spoke with the victim…[who] stated that he and his friend were coming from the corner store on Charles Street when a couple of subjects, wearing dark hoodies began shooting at them from the corner of Ledge Street and Charles Street. A crime scene was located at this location.
[Victim] was shot in the left leg, just below his knee, non-life threatening [and] transported to RIH by Providence Rescue.
Sunday 8/30 2:57 AM
On Sunday, 8/30/2020, at approximately 0257 hours, police were dispatched to 20 Morning Star Row for a report of shots fired, multiple shots heard.
Upon arrival, police met with the caller who stated that prior to police arrival he heard a volley of gunfire in the immediate area, at which time he looked out of his residence and observed a male subject, possibly in his early twenties, wearing gray shorts and a navy shirt, sprinting towards Friendship St and immediately jumping a fence in front of his residences.
Police then canvassed the area, where they located a vehicle parked directly in front of 473 Pine St, with its rear window shattered and a hole with in the rear passenger side headrest which appeared to be consistent with gunfire. Police were able to make contact with the owner of the vehicle, who was advised of the damage.
Police also located twelve (12) spent casings of different calibers near the intersection of Myrtle St and Pine St. Damage to the exterior of 479 Pine St (1st Floor) and 469 Pine St (porch) was also observed by police which appeared to be consistent with gunfire. Police then made contact with residents of 479 Pine St, where all residents were accounted for and deemed unharmed.
It should be noted that police responded to this location for a report of shots fired at approximately 0225 hours, yielding negative results.
Surveillance cameras were observed outside of 487, 489, and 485 Pine St.