Johnston Police help Providence catch murder suspect

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A Johnston man has been arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder following an Aug. 7 double shooting outside a Providence nightclub.

Police Chief Joseph Razza confirmed that Miguel Lacourt, 36, of Johnston, was picked up during a traffic stop in Johnston.

“Yes, we detained the suspect for PPD (Providence Police Department),” Razza said in an email Monday.

According to published reports, Lacourt was charged in the shooting deaths of two Massachusetts men, Mario Diaz, 27, and Kerwins Pimental, 29.

“The Johnston Police Department has always had a tremendous and long-standing relationship with the Providence Police Department,” Razza said on Tuesday. “We were more than willing to aid them in the apprehension of this violent individual and take him off the street.”

The shooting occurred Saturday, Aug. 7, in the city’s Elmwood neighborhood.

Lacourt was arrested in Johnston Wednesday, Aug. 18, after Johnston Police were notified of a pending Providence Police homicide investigation.

“The suspect identified as Miguel Lacourt was wanted by Providence Police Department for a homicide in their city,” Johnston Police officer Michael A. Protano wrote in an incident report. “The suspect was possibly staying or residing at 8 Westbound Court in the town of Johnston.”

Lt. Steve Guilmette and Detective James Seymore, leaders of the Johnston Police Special Response Team, were called back to duty, and other officers from the department were on the scene or nearby the residence, Protano wrote.

Protano and another officer were given instructions by Johnston Police Lt. Stephen Altomari to respond to the immediate area of the Westbound Court residence. The officers were then told to go to the Cumberland Farms gas station nearby.

While on their way, approaching the intersection of Hartford Avenue and Rollingwood Drive, Protano heard a police radio broadcast describing two vehicles of interest, a Budget rental truck and a silver Kia sedan with Massachusetts plates, were leaving the suspect’s house.

The vehicles were approaching Rollingwood Drive when Protano and Johnston Police Officer Christopher Rotella both activated their cruisers’ emergency lights “and conducted a felony car stop with the Budget rental truck,” according to the incident report.

The driver, Lacourt, and his female passenger, were ordered to exit the vehicle with their hands up. The pair were instructed to kneel down with their hands interlaced behind their head, Protano wrote.

“We immediately recognized the male operator of the Budget rental truck as Miguel Lacourt, who is the intended target/suspect of the Providence PD homicide,” Protano wrote. “Miguel was taken into custody, patted down and turned over to members of the Providence Police Department without incident.”

Lacourt was ordered held without bail after an arraignment.

“I am particularly proud of the officers who responded to this highly stressful situation and the level of professionalism that they displayed,” Razza said. “We are fortunate that this investigation resulted in the peaceful arrest of this double homicide suspect.”

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