Providence Police charged four men in the shooting that wounded nine people in Providence last week.
Ricardo Cosme Tejada, Reynaldo Rivera, both aged 20, Jordanny Britto, aged 19, were arraigned Monday. George Rios, age 18, was still in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital, according to Providence Police.
All four face the same set of charges: possession of a firearm without a license or permit, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm while committing a crime, conspiracy to carry a firearm without a license, conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon, and firing in a compact area.
Providence police allege the four men drove up to 87 Carolina Ave. Thursday evening and opened fire on individuals standing on the porch. Between both groups, more than 50 bullets were fired in short succession.
Police on Monday also released the names of the others injured in the shooting. Isaiah Ortiz, age 19, Lauren Feola, age 22, David Carides, age 23, and Edwin Torres, age 24, were shot. William Segbeyan, age 21, suffered lacerations from shattered glass.
Police said the groups were affiliated with local gangs, and that the violence was related to ongoing tensions. The investigation remains open.
“We do anticipate further arrests,” said Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements, adding that he expects future charges connected with the events Thursday to be “similar.”
The capital city has already seen an uptick in gun crime this year. Providence police have seized 86 guns so far this year, more than double the amount seized over the same period last year, Clements said. Providence police seized more illegal guns over the weekend as well.
“So there lies our daunting challenge,” Clements said. “There are so many firearms out there, and powerful ones.”
Law enforcement officials and local violence prevention workers are worried that as the pandemic wanes, the uptick in gun violence will continue.
Fourteen people were shot in Providence and Pawtucket from Thursday through Sunday, leaving three dead.
On Friday, police found a 25-year old man, the victim of a gunshot wound, dead in the backseat of a vehicle in Providence. On Saturday afternoon, two men were shot in the city, sustaining non-life threatening injuries. Both investigations remain active.
In Pawtucket, 20-year old Leonardo Taveras died after being shot Saturday afternoon. Providence police have assisted with the investigation, which is still open. Pawtucket officials described the shooting as “targeted.”
Sunday night, police responded to another shooting in Pawtucket. During a press conference Monday, where state and local leaders called for stricter gun control and more money for programs to curb gun violence, Pawtucket police announced that the victim, a 19-year old woman, succumbed to her injuries.
Gov. Daniel Mckee was joined by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza and the state’s entire Congressional delegation, as elected leaders renewed calls for federal and state legislation to restrict gun access and tamp down on illegal sales, including the black market and “straw purchases,” where individuals buy guns legally and pass them on to others.
“These are our children,” said Diana Garlington, an advocate for gun control from Rhode Island, who lost her 21 year-old daughter in a drive-by shooting in 2011. “Shootings like the ones we saw last week leave survivors scarred and traumatized. And they make us fear for our safety and the safety of our loved ones.”
Speakers also called on greater funding for gun violence mitigation programs, including the use of American Rescue Plan money, though officials did not specify whether there are currently plans to set money aside for such programs.
In the days since the shootings, workers with the Nonviolence Institute, a nonprofit based in Providence, fanned out through the neighborhoods to meet with survivors and to temper possible retaliations. One worker classified the last week as “extreme,” and said she’s worried the violence will get worse.
