38-year-old man who shot himself after Route 6 police chase, dies, details released

The 38-year-old East Providence, RI, man who shot himself inside a vehicle on Route 6 in Seekonk last week, died Saturday afternoon at Rhode Island Hospital.

According to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, the man has been identified as Derek Belanger.

As a result of a preliminary investigation into the incident, at 3:05 p.m. on April 9, Swansea Police received a 911 call from a man, who reported that while he was at the Cumberland Farms on Route 6, Belanger had shown a gun and said something to the effect of “somebody should call 911.” The witness then observed Bellanger get into a 2005 Mercedes SUV and sit for several minutes before eventually leaving the parking lot.

According to spokesperson Gregg Miliote, Swansea Police subsequently sent out a BOLO to surrounding towns regarding the vehicle. A state trooper who happened to be in the area at the time, spotted the vehicle and attempted to pull it over as Belanger continued to drive through the town of Rehoboth and into the town of Seekonk. At this point, the trooper was joined by officers from Seekonk and Swansea Police. Belanger eventually stopped his vehicle on Route 6 near the Seekonk Speedway.

After ignoring the state trooper’s verbal request for him to get out of his vehicle, police watched as Belanger reached his right hand out of the driver’s side window of the vehicle while brandishing a firearm. The officers moved to the rear of their cruisers to take protective measures when they heard a single gunshot come from Belanger’s vehicle. When the officers approached Belanger’s vehicle, they found him unconscious in the driver’s seat of the vehicle with the handgun in his right hand.

Belanger was extricated from the vehicle, rendered first aid and rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where he died late Saturday afternoon.

The matter remains under investigation.