PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Providence police officer who shot and wounded an unarmed man while responding to a domestic dispute last month has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
A grand jury in Providence on Tuesday found that Officer Ryan Moroney was justified in the Feb. 17 shooting of 24-year-old Dari Garcia in the city’s Silver Lake neighborhood. Garcia survived gunshot wounds to his abdomen and was later charged with heroin possession, domestic assault of his mother and other crimes.
Authorities say Moroney believed Garcia had a gun and opened fire as Garcia came toward him. Police determined that Garcia was unarmed, but was carrying heroin.
Moroney had been on paid leave pending investigations. He returned to duty last week after internal affairs investigators determined he didn’t violate the department’s use of force policy.
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