Bristol County DA: Break-in led to police chase, crash, shots fired in fatal incident on Route 6

The District Attorney’s Office has issued an update on the incident that turned fatal on Route 6 this morning.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, preliminary investigation indicates at 6:40 a.m. today, Seekonk Police received notification from an alarm company indicating a break in at a business on Route 6 in Seekonk. At 6:41 a.m., officers were dispatched to investigate. Responding officers arrived on scene at approximately 6:46 a.m.

The officers saw the business had been broken into and gave a description of the suspect, who was seen leaving the area on foot. Officers then located the male suspect in the parking lot of another business on Route 6 in Seekonk. The suspect fled from the parking lot in a black Honda, heading east on Route 6. At the intersection of School Street and Route 6, the suspect, and only occupant of the vehicle, lost control of the car, struck a curb and rolled the vehicle onto its passenger side. The vehicle was off the roadway.

Two Seekonk Police officers arrived at the crash scene in their own cruisers. Shortly thereafter, the suspect opened fire on them with a 7.62 millimeter AK-47 Model rifle. Officers returned fire. After this exchange of gunfire, officers took up a defensive position and summonsed the regional SWAT team.

After the SWAT team determined the suspect no longer posed a threat, emergency responders made access to the suspect’s vehicle by cutting open the roof of the car. The suspect was determined to be deceased at the scene.

Identification of the suspect has not been finalized and the official cause of death is pending an autopsy.

The investigation into this incident remains active and ongoing.