Rhode Island Man Killed in Shootout with Police After Allegedly Stealing Sailboat

A Rhode Island man was killed in a shootout with police after he allegedly stole a rare sailboat from a Jersey City marina and returned to Rhode Island. Brendan Norris, 27, was shot when he fired at police officers who found him aboard the stolen boat at Newport Marina on Wednesday at around 9 a.m., according to officials. Norris is believed to have taken a 1968 Hinkley Bermuda 40 from Liberty Harbor Marina on Saturday night. Surveillance footage showed him in the area for about an hour and a half before he left with the boat. Norris had experience in the yachting industry, as indicated by his online profile, where he sought jobs as a deckhand or crewmate. The sailboat, named Pathfinder, was reported missing by its owner, Jim Bonomo, who discovered its absence upon returning to the marina with his wife on Sunday morning. Bonomo reported the theft to New Jersey State Police and the US Coast Guard, prompting alerts to marinas along the East Coast. The sailboat was later found moored in Newport Harbor, leading to the police confrontation. During the incident, Norris armed himself and fired at the officers, resulting in his death and injuries to one officer, who has since been released from the hospital. Bonomo expressed confusion over Norris' motives and was surprised to see the news coverage of the incident.