East Greenwich, RI — If the average citizen chased down a motorist, blocked them into a parking lot and opened fire on them in an act of road rage, rest assured that person would be immediately arrested. However, because of blue privilege, an off-duty Pawtucket police officer — in a fit of road rage — was seen on video chasing down an 18-year-old, shooting him as he tried to get away, and was not arrested.

Pawtucket Police Chief Richard Ramsay explained that the obvious act of road rage you’ll see in the video below started on Interstate 95 and continued off of exit 6. On June 23, police responded to a report of shots fired in a parking lot and when officers arrived, they learned the Pawtucket police officer had shot the 18-year-old West Greenwich resident in the arm.

Ramsay explained to local media that the teen was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and is expected to survive. Though the chief mentioned that the officer is cooperating in the investigation, there has been no mention of charges or an explanation of why the officer was not charged.

As the video below shows, the off duty cop is in the white pickup truck and appears to be chasing the black car. When the black car pulls off to attempt to let his crazed stalker drive by, the crazed stalker tries to block him in before jumping from his truck.

The off duty cop then grabs something from his hip — presumably a gun — and chases down the black car as it attempts to get away.

Chief Ramsay noted in a statement that the cop used his department issued weapon when he shot the teen. He also noted that the officer involved is on administrative leave.

In a statement, Acting Public Safety Director Chief Tina Goncalves said:

 On Wednesday June 23rd at approximately 8pm the Pawtucket Police Department was notified by an off-duty officer that he was involved in a shooting in West Greenwich. There is a protocol in place with all officer-involved shootings that the investigation is handled by the Office of the Attorney General, the State Police, and the local jurisdiction where the incident occurred. The Pawtucket Police Department is waiting for further information on the investigation. Pending that, the officer has been placed on administrative leave. Any and all questions should be deferred to the Attorney General’s Office.

According to Rhode Island’s Stand Your Ground law, anywhere outside your home, before deadly force is legal, there is a duty to retreat — meaning, if you can get away without using deadly force, you must do so.

It is clear in the video below that this officer not only failed to retreat, but actually provoked a situation in which he was the aggressor and blocked a person in who was retreating. If the 18-year-old would have shot the officer, the 18-year-old would have been more justified in the shooting than the cop who shot him.

Anyone who watches the video below can clearly see that the use of deadly force was not made in self-defense, making it an act of assault. Had anyone but a police officer used such deadly force against another motorist, rest assured they would be in jail right now.

Video of the incident last night when police say an off duty Pawtucket police officer shot someone in the arm in West Greenwich. pic.twitter.com/peO5maPBAP

— Brian Crandall (@nbc10_brian) June 24, 2021

Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist