Footage Shows Fatal Police Shootout With Suspect In Jersey City Sailboat Theft

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A little over two months after a suspect in a Jersey City sailboat theft was fatally shot by police in Rhode Island, officials released body cam video.

Officials said in late August that Brendan Norris, 27, of Clinton Avenue in Newport, R.I., had stolen a 40-foot sailboat from Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City on the night of Aug. 22.

Days later, a "private party" asked the Newport, R.I., Harbormaster’s Office to be on the lookout for the stolen boat, police in Newport said in a statement in August.

Shortly before 9 a.m. on Aug. 26, the Newport harbormaster saw a similar boat anchored nearby. Newport police and members of the Harbormaster’s Office approached the vessel to investigate, the Newport police said at the time.

The man had a firearm, police said.

"As officers came alongside the vessel, they encountered a male who was on the bow. The man fled below deck despite commands from officers," said Newport police.

Norris was killed during an exchange of gunfire with police. One Newport police officer was treated at Newport Hospital and was released to recover at home.

Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy said the Rhode Island State Police, the Newport Police Department, and the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office were investigating, "in accordance with standard protocol."

Newly Released Footage

This past Friday night, Newport police released video of the shooting, warning, "Viewer discretion advised."

"While footage is an important tool for transparency and accountability, video alone does not always convey the full circumstances of an incident," they noted on social media. "This is particularly true in situations involving rapidly evolving events, split-second decision-making, and information that may not be immediately apparent to someone viewing the footage without additional context."

They added, "Our goal in releasing this video is to provide the public and the media with an accurate, factual, and transparent presentation of the incident, allowing viewers to better understand the circumstances and information surrounding our officers' actions."

The video is here:

Norris had posted on the internet in June looking for deckhand work on a yacht.

The New Jersey State Police had posted the above photos of the theft on social media, but later removed them.