Crime & Safety
Man who Sparked Standoff Faces Weapons Charges for Discharging .22
Police said the 55-year-old was despondent because of family problems and discharged a weapon when he was taken into custody after an hours-long standoff at Landmark Medical Center.
Woonsocket Police charged a 55-year-old Burrillville man with weapons violations after he allegedly shot a .22 caliber rifle into the air during a standoff at Landmark Medical Center Thursday afternoon.
James Gies, 55, was reportedly despondent and under the influence of alcohol when he went to the hospital around 6 p.m. and threatened to commit suicide.
The call prompted a lockdown of the hospitals and police negotiators responded to the scene in an effort to talk Giles out of his despondent state.
The negotiations ended after about two hours when response teams used a flashbang to incapacitate him. That's when Giles' weapon discharged.
In a statement, police said Giles was going through family problems.
Nobody was injured during the incident.
All told, Giles is facing charges of carrying a weapon while intoxicated, carrying a loaded gun in a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and possession of a firearm after being convicted of crime of violence.
Giles was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon in 1994, according to court records.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
