Two Dead after Sidewalk Murder-Suicide in Newport

Two men are dead after a dispute between friends turned into a murder suicide early Tuesday morning on a Newport street not far from Bellevue Avenue.

Newport Police Sgt. Corey Huck said that two men, believed to be coworkers and friends for several years, were returning home from a night out when an argument turned into a fight shortly before 2 a.m.

At one point, the victim, 48, brandished a gun. The suspect, 35, wrestled the gun away, brandished his own gun and shot the victim in the head before turning the gun on himself, Huck said.

Both men were transported to Newport Hospital where the victim was pronounced dead. The suspect was subsequently transported with critical injuries to Rhode Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:43 a.m.

The incident happened on a sidewalk near the intersection of King and Williams Streets, not far from the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Newport Police Capt. Russell Hayes said both weapons were recovered from the scene and detectives are trying to determine what transpired as they treat the case as a homicide investigation. Both men are believed to be Newport residents and the incident is isolated. He described the investigation as being in the early stages and detectives are interviewing witnesses who heard bits and pieces of the argument before the double shooting.

Hayes said incidents like these are rare in Newport and when they happen it can have a “real shock effect on this community.”

Police said they want to reassure the community that they should not feel threatened by the shooting.

“The general public is not at risk,” Huck said.

The identifies of both men will be released at a later time, police said.