UPDATED: Suspect Steals Providence Police Cruiser After Scuffle With Officer - Later Arrested

UPDATED: Suspect Steals Providence Police Cruiser After Scuffle With Officer - Later Arrested

A suspect — who had been driving a "slingshot" vehicle — has been arrested after stealing a Providence Police cruiser on Tuesday afternoon. 

GoLocal spoke with Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez about the incident. 

"An officer was patrolling Broad Street, when he saw slingshots driving recklessly in the bike lane," said Perez. "The officer stopped to investigate and got out of his vehicle."

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"Slingshots" are road-legal three-wheel vehicles that are available for rent at multiple locations. 

The driver of the slingshot then took off on foot. 

"The officer chased him — and they got into a struggle and the suspect broke loose and a satchel [containing a gun] dropped to the ground," said Perez. "The officer seized the firearm at which time the suspect got into the cruiser and drove for about four or five blocks and before jumping out." 

Perez said that police set up a perimeter and the suspect was apprehended a short while later. 

"It was commendable police work," said Perez. 

The Providence Issues an Update on Tuesday Night

Earlier this evening, Providence Police arrested Ishmael Lee, age 34, following a brief struggle with the officer before fleeing in a marked Providence Police cruiser.

Officers were on routine patrol when they observed two men riding Slingshots in a bike lane on Broad Street, resulting in Lee being pulled over by police. During the stop, the officer noticed one of the suspects was acting suspiciously, and Lee ran off with a satchel.  Following a brief struggle on Colfax Street, Lee broke free and a firearm fell from the satchel.

Officers proceeded to chase him around the corner onto Colfax Street, where the two struggled briefly. When the man broke free from the officer, a firearm fell from the satchel. Lee eventually hopped into the officer’s cruiser and drove it a short distance down the road before abandoning it near the intersection of Elmwood and Atlantic avenues and was apprehended by police.

Lee was charged with:

Possession of a firearm
Stolen Auto
Obstruction
Simple Assault
Resisting Arrest
Reckless

 

The incident came just after Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, Colonel Oscar Perez, and Councilman John Conclaves held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to tout that “ahead of Memorial Day weekend and the start of warm weather, Providence Police will be on the streets and in the community working to stop and confiscate illegal ATVs and dirt bikes.”

This story was first published at 6:12 PM on 5/21/24 and was updated 5/22/2024 at 6:00 AM