A Newport officer was wounded during the confrontation after authorities approached a vessel matching a sailboat reported stolen from New Jersey.
NEWPORT, RI — A 27-year-old Newport man suspected of stealing a vintage sailboat from a New Jersey marina was killed Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with police in Newport Harbor, authorities said. A Newport police officer was shot in the leg and later released from the hospital.
Police identified the dead man as Brendan Norris of Newport. The confrontation began after the Newport Harbormaster’s Office spotted a sailboat matching the description of a 40-foot vessel reported stolen days earlier from Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey. Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island attorney general’s office are participating in the investigation, as is standard in shootings involving police officers.
Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy said the Harbormaster’s Office contacted police at about 8:42 a.m. Wednesday after locating the vessel in the harbor’s North Anchorage. Officers and harbormaster personnel approached the sailboat to investigate. Police said a man standing on the bow went below deck despite commands from officers as they came alongside the vessel.
Authorities said the man then armed himself with a firearm and gunfire was exchanged. Norris was fatally shot, while a veteran Newport officer was struck in a lower extremity. The officer was taken to Newport Hospital in stable condition and was later discharged to recover at home. Officials have not publicly identified the wounded officer.
The encounter came after a sailboat was reported stolen late Saturday from Liberty Harbor Marina. The vessel’s owner, Jim Bonomo, told news organizations that he and his wife arrived at the marina Sunday and found the boat missing. Surveillance footage from the marina area showed a person around the vessel before it left, according to reports citing police and the owner.
Bonomo identified the boat as a 1968 Hinckley Bermuda 40, a vintage sailing yacht that he had spent years maintaining and restoring. He said the boat’s distinctive design made it recognizable within the sailing community. Authorities had circulated information about the missing vessel, and the Newport Harbormaster’s Office had been asked to watch for it before Wednesday’s encounter.
Investigators have not publicly established why the sailboat was taken or why it was brought to Newport. Police also have not released a full account of the evidence recovered aboard the vessel or other details that could explain the events leading to the gunfire. Reports citing the boat’s owner said a GPS-related device had apparently been disabled after the vessel left New Jersey, but authorities have not announced a motive.
The sailboat remained in law enforcement custody as evidence following the shooting. Bonomo said he expected to assess its condition before making arrangements to return it to New Jersey. The theft investigation and the separate review of the police shooting remained active.
Officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative leave pending the investigation, according to police. Rhode Island State Police, Newport police and the state attorney general’s office are reviewing the circumstances of the shooting. Authorities had not announced additional findings as of Friday.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 28, 2026.