40-foot sailboat at center of deadly Newport police shootout

A 40-foot sailboat was the focal point of a fatal police encounter in Newport Harbor on Wednesday, August 26, resulting in the death of Brendan Norris, a resident of Newport, Rhode Island.

The Newport Police Department released bodycam footage on Friday, October 30, during its first Critical Incident Community Debriefing. Chief Ryan Duffy provided context for the shooting, which occurred four days after the vessel was reported stolen from Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City. The boat, a 1968 Hinckley Bermuda, had been taken on the night of Saturday, August 22.

Norris, who listed over 10,000 nautical miles of sailing experience online, undocked the ship and sailed it toward the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Authorities tracked the vessel until its tracking device was disabled. The harbormaster identified the boat in the northern portion of Newport Harbor on August 26 because its model matched the stolen vessel, despite the name on the stern being scraped off.

Officers boarded the sailboat shortly after 9 a.m. when the occupant moved toward the cabin with the engine running. An officer observed a metallic object resembling a gun barrel before a shot fired from inside the cabin. The projectile struck the officer’s face and right leg. Officers returned fire toward the threat.

After the gunfire ceased, officers entered the cabin and found Norris unresponsive. He sustained a severe head injury and a firearm was located beside him. The vessel was towed to Elm Street Pier, where Norris was pronounced dead. The injured officer was transported to Newport Hospital.

State police previously released video showing Norris sailing away from the marina. The newly provided footage includes police radio communications and narration to offer public context. The department stated the video is not a final determination of actions taken. The investigation continues under Rhode Island’s officer-involved shooting protocol with state police and the attorney general’s office involved.