Newport RI Police Department Press Release Re: Newport Police Fatal Shooting of Suspect Brendan Norris
The Newport Police Department is releasing a Critical Incident Community Debriefing video concerning the officer-involved shooting that occurred on August 26, 2026.
In keeping with evolving professional practices in law enforcement and in response to requests for body-worn camera (BWC) footage, the department has elected to publicly release a portion of the BWC footage accompanied by narration and other supporting information intended to provide additional context surrounding the incident.
Critical Incident Community Debriefings are becoming an increasingly common practice among law enforcement agencies nationwide. These presentations combine actual incident footage with narration, relevant radio communications, visual references, and other available information to help the public better understand the circumstances surrounding critical incidents and the actions taken by responding officers.
While BWC footage is an important tool for transparency and accountability, video alone does not always convey the full circumstances of an incident. This is particularly true in situations involving rapidly evolving events, split-second decision-making, and information that may not be immediately apparent to someone viewing the footage without additional context.
Our goal in releasing this video is to provide the public and the media with an accurate, factual, and transparent presentation of the incident, allowing viewers to better understand the circumstances and information surrounding our officers’ actions. We believe that providing this context is an important responsibility of the department, in circumstances such as this.
The video is not intended to substitute for the formal investigative process, nor should it be interpreted as a final determination regarding the actions of anyone involved. Rather, it is intended to provide the community with factual information currently appropriate for public release while respecting the integrity of the investigative process.
In preparing this presentation, the Newport Police Department consulted with the City Solicitor’s Office, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, and the City’s Public Information Officer. This collaborative approach was undertaken to balance the public’s legitimate interest in transparency with the legal and investigative considerations associated with releasing footage of a critical incident.
This is the Newport Police Department’s first Critical Incident Community Debriefing video. We believe this approach represents an important step forward in how our department communicates with the community following significant incidents.
We recognize the important role the news media plays in informing the public, and we are providing this video to assist in accurately communicating the circumstances surrounding this incident. We encourage media outlets to review the presentation in its entirety, as the accompanying narration and supporting information are intended to provide meaningful context to the BWC footage.
The Newport Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the public trust.
**VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED**