Rhode Island and Massachusetts teens arrested, officers assaulted, after incident involving stolen firearm at bowling alley

The Cranston Police Department arrested two adults and a juvenile following a report of a person in possession of a handgun and a subsequent disturbance at a bowling alley on Saturday night.

At approximately 10:45 p.m., Cranston Police officers responded to Lang’s Bowlarama, 225 Niantic Avenue, for a report of a person with a handgun. The caller reported that the suspect had a handgun inside a white backpack and had made statements indicating he intended to harm someone inside the bowling alley. The caller provided officers with a detailed description of the suspect, his backpack, and his location inside the bowling alley.

Upon arrival, officers located the suspect, identified as 19-year-old Jayden Rodriguez of Cranston, and he acknowledged that there was a firearm inside his backpack. As officers attempted to take Rodriguez into custody, a struggle ensued. Several individuals accompanying Rodriguez interfered with officers and pushed officers as they attempted to make the arrest.

The Rhode Island State Police and Providence Police Department were requested to assist Cranston officers. Officers took additional individuals into custody during the disturbance.

The firearm, which was loaded, was subsequently determined to have been reported stolen out of South Carolina.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with:

• License or Permit Required for Carrying a Pistol
• Large Capacity Feeding Devices Prohibited
• Possession of a Stolen Firearm
• Modification of a Semi-Automatic Weapon
• Disorderly Conduct
• Resisting Legal/Illegal Arrest

Rodriguez was arraigned by a Justice of the Peace and transported to the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) Intake.

19-year-old Ismael Monge of Woonsocket was also arrested and charged with:

• Disorderly Conduct
• Resisting Legal/Illegal Arrest
• Obstructing an Officer in Execution of Duty

Monge was arraigned by a Justice of the Peace and released.

A 16-year-old male juvenile from Massachusetts was also arrested in connection with the disturbance and released to a parent. The juvenile was charged with:

• Disorderly Conduct
• Resisting Legal/Illegal Arrest
• Obstructing an Officer in Execution of Duty

The Cranston Police Department commended the individual who alerted police to the presence of the firearm and provided officers with detailed information that helped them quickly locate the suspect. “This individual’s decision to speak up and immediately contact police may have prevented a potentially tragic incident. We encourage anyone who observes suspicious or potentially dangerous activity to report it to police.”

Members of the public with information about criminal activity can also provide it anonymously by texting the keyword CRANSTONPD to 847411.

Colonel Michael J. Winquist said, “This incident is a stark reminder of the risks our police officers face every day when they answer calls for service. Our officers responded to a potentially deadly situation involving a person with a firearm and acted decisively and professionally to protect everyone inside the bowling alley. Their courage, restraint, and commitment to the safety of others are exactly what we expect from the men and women of the Cranston Police Department. This incident could have ended in tragedy if our officers had not intervened when they did. I commend every officer involved for the manner in which they handled this dangerous situation and for putting the safety of others before their own. I also want to commend the individual who alerted police. Having the courage to immediately report what they observed and provide officers with detailed information was critical to our response. I also thank our law enforcement partners from the Rhode Island State Police and Providence Police Department for their prompt assistance. Their support helped our officers safely bring this incident under control.”