The Pawtucket Police are getting better. This time it only took two officers and two bullets to bring down an unarmed man.

I really want to know what is the Police Women and Men Job in the City of Pawtucket RI

I used to be friends with Jay Swift when i was around 10 - 11 years old (I am 28 now). I havent seen him in probably 13 years, but I have fond memories of hanging out with him. He was a funny and kind person. I was shocked and saddened by this news.

there is a new technology where police officers can use non lethal weapons to subdue someone. I'm sure pawtucket police didn't hear of this new invention

I think the police were justified on all accounts...people need to realize that actions have consequences...as far as I'm concerned, in these 3 cases these idiots got what they deserved.

Whoa, Pawtucked PD a little trigger happy lately? I can't recall the last time Providence police shot a suspect to death. Even Esteban Carpio came out of it alive and he killed Det. Sgt. Allen.

The police are dealing with unstable individuals, give them a break! Although we don't know the whole story, as none of us were there, but if the deceased was indeed using a Samurai knife and then removed his clothes, he was unstable. These people are capable of strength and violence, why should the police get injured or killed. Some people would say it is one less criminal to put in our overcrowded prisons or prey on innocent people.....

It is bad enough police officers risk their lives everyday to protect the public, then when something tragic occurs, people can't resist making inappropriate comments. It must be nice to sit the in the comfort and security of your homes make judgements from what you read and see on the TV while police officers are on the streets doing a job most don't have the desire or courage to do.

Maybe It's time Pawtucket Police took a hard look at less lethal weapons like tasers. The lastest in innovative technology in law enforcement. Check out what Providence is doing. They are the most innovative and Progressive Police Department in Rhode Island and probably the whole northeast.

THIS PERSON WAS MY FRIEND AND THEY COULD HAVE HANDLED THIS WITHOUT MY FRIEND BEING SHOT AND KILLED .....!!! RHODE ISLAND NEEDS TO GET A HANDLE ON TRIGGER HAPPY POLICE !!! IM SURE THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION!!! HOW ABOUT STUNNER BULLETS!!!! NO NEED TO SHOOT TO KILL, A PERSON WHO WAS KNOWN IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A GREAT GUY!

I knew Jay as well and was a good friend of his. I feel for him and his family. I also feel for the police officers, no one who has not been in a that type of situation can even begin to comment or play Monday morning quaterback. Its just tragic all the way around......for everyone!

It is sad when a police officer has to take the life of an individual. I am appalled at the lack of sensitiveness to the issue by many of your commentors. Police don't take shooting a person lighting and neither should they.
Tony P. pray that your never in a situation where deadly force it neccesary!! Rhode Islanders should be renamed the state of cop haters!!!

LET'S NOT JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS UNTIL ALL THE FACTS ARE DETERMINED.

Yes they do have non-lethal means to take a suspect down. Like the taser where there were like 10 deaths across the country after people were taken down with them and then went in to cardiac arrest.

Or the rubber bean bag pellets---like the one that killed a Massachusetts College student after the Sox won the '04 World Series.

Good non-lethal weapons that were actually lethal. And an officer is taught to take out a target with the chest as the target and not an arm or a leg.

jay as i know it was a sweet funny person and this fatal mistake by the police is ridiculous you will be missed jay love ya

I have known jay for a long time. He was one of the funniest honest people i have ever known. According to this report they disarmed him. I understand hes a big guy but are the police seriously trying to say that THREE police officers couldnt contain him with out shoothing him? Maybe they need better officers.

Before you judge these officers, I would like to see how you would react in a situation with a gun or a samurai sword in your face. Your first instinct as a police officer and as a human being is for your own life and the lives of others. Believe me when I tell you, your life is not worth theirs if you don't even appreciate and respect the fact that they are out there for you every day. People say these people who have been killed have rights and the police officers should try other means before resulting to violence, but I gurantee you would be singing a different tune if these officers didn't take the action they did and innocent people were killed because of it. See, that is the problem with people these days, you just aren't happy unless you are criticizing someone else. Try for just one second to put yourself in their position with a loaded gun aimed at your head and tell me what you would do.

Hey 'Friend',
The article said that the 'samurai sword' was outside the building at the time, and it's plenty hard for a naked man to hide a concealed weapon. If the guy brandished something in their faces, it might have been offensive, but surely not lethal.

First, unless you are an officer and have been placed in the situation where you have to make a life or death decision in a split second, you have no right to judge what they have done. None of us were at the scene and do not know what happened and why hey had to shoot this person - by the way, at 6'5" and 300 pounds, if he was in an "emotionally charged" state of mind there is a good possibility that 6 officers may not have been able to restrain him. Again, none of us were there and should not be second-guessing their actions. Secondly, to all of you that question what these officers have done - if you are so clear thinking and so sure that YOU could have prevented any of these shootings - why aren't you a police officer? These men and women put their lives on the line for our safety every single day - if they had done something different and one of them (or an innocent civilian was injured) you all would be singing the tune "why didn't they do something to stop him?!"

Perhaps I am a little prejudiced, as I have seen the good that officers have done to prevent tragedies. Yes, sometimes there are bad outcomes, but for the most part they have the most thankless job out there (right up there with the soldiers protecting our right to freedom and the firefighters who rush into burning buildings) and will always have my respect for taking on a career that too many of us spend our time second guessing and badmouthing. Try being a loved one of an officer and having to live with the fact that every time that person puts on the uniform and walks out the door there is a chance that may be the last time you see him (or her) the way they are.

To all the police haters....I have heard trigger happy, aggressive, bad cops, the list goes on and on. Can you tell me how many "bad things" have had police involved in them. Name me them all I'll give you a few....heck I'll give you over 100 in the past year. Do you know how many calls the 39 towns and state police handled last year? Over 1 MILLION calls. So do they drop the ball? Of course there are bad apples anywhere or simply make a judgement that can be second guessed when you weren't the one in the situation.....I am sure you lead a life that is a great example. If not walk the beat show some courage and learn what you don't know. My last point is for all who second guess the police what would you have done? Don't just say taser...don't know if it was an option....don't say shoot the arm or leg....not trained for that and I will GUARANTEE you could not pinpoint a part on the body under those conditions....so think and I mean truly think and god forbid you are in a life or death situation....if you're that good then please join a force and be a leader to us all since you have ALL the answers.

This is DISGUSTING! Pawtucket police don't know how to deal with REAL police work, because they spend most of their time setting up radar traps and ticketing parents picking up their children from school. Thank your city council members and your twin river happy mayor for the incompetant and power crazy police we have patroling this city. HE WAS NAKED AND UNARMED WHEN HE WAS SHOT!!! If pawtucket police can't detain a naked, unarmed man without killing him, maybe they shouldn't be police. I'd be more likely to let the naked guy in my house then the Pawtucket Police. TELL US WHERE HE WAS SHOT!!! IN THE BACK, WHILE HE WAS ON THE GROUND NAKED?? WAS HE ALREADY CUFFED??? WAS HE SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD, WHILE HE WAS NAKED AND CUFFED ON THE FLOOR??? WHY WON'T THEY TELL US?

THE SWORD WAS FOUND OUTSIDE. HE WAS KILLED IN A 3RD FLOOR APARTMENT AFTER DISROBING. WHERE WERE THE POLICE IN THE TIME IT TOOK HIM TO RUN UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR AND TAKE OFF ALL HIS CLOTHES? BEING A POLICE OFFICER IS A DANGEROUS JOB, MOST PLACES, BUT NOT IN PAWTUCKET WHERE THE RULES OF LETHAL FORCE DON'T APPLY. BOOHOO HE WAS A BIG GUY AND WE ARE JUST THE POLICE BOOHOO. WONDER WHY EVERYONE RUNS FROM PAWTUCKET POLICE? DON'T LET THEM IN YOUR HOUSE THEY WILL SHOOT YOUR DOG.

To Really:
They cannot and will not release any information until the investigations are completed. Also, no matter what is finally reavealed, people like you will find fault with any action the officer took. As I (and a couple of others) have stated, WE WERE NOT THERE and do not know what transpired to cause this. YOu are not an officer and do not know what these people go through on a daily basis, with the mentally and emotionally ill, the drunks, the drug addicts and the general population that have no respect for authority or the law.

Go spend some time on the beat and see how many times they are able to turn a potentially hazardous situation around and have a good results for all. We only hear about the ones that go bad, never about all the times they are able to prevent harmful situations. Perhaps it is time for the media to report the good outcomes, also, but I guess that would not get anyones attention would it.

It appears that Swift was not the only one involved who had emotional problems. I have received abnormally rude and abrasive remarks from Pawtucket police officer during an innocuous stop for directions around a road closed during construction at which they were posted. These people have rage issues that ought to be professionally addressed.
Following this latest kill, they ought to submit the entire force to psychiatric evaluation, for their own good as well as the public's.

Jo, don't comment on what you don't know. People like me, ask questions and demand answers when things don't seem right. People like me are married to good, honest, hardworking and proud men who wear a badge and walk the toughest beat in the state everyday, and wouldn't dream of taking a life unless it was to save one. People like me deal with mentally ill,drug and alcohol dependant people everyday with compassion and understanding and people like me understand that some people just don't get it.

I just got finished reading all the comments here and feel compelled to leave one myself. I was a personal friend of Jay I have known him for many years, He was asa stated a big guy.I also understand that the Police have a very difficult job. However I do believe that they make mistakes also, I was not there I did not see exactly what went down , but I can tell you that the police SHOULD be trained to take down an unarmed man...And yes he was unarmed I know for a fact.I will not call the police trigger happy or any of the other insults and belittle the police that were not there , But I think this should be an example of how poorly some of these cops have been trained.All I am saying is this should be looked into..Not to point fingers , but for the welfare of the people that they are protecting.I am truely saddened by all of this and I hope to see some changes in the ciriculum that the police are subject to in thier training. To Ms. Swift I give my deepest sympathy. Before anyone passes judgement on my buddy please understand he was a funny, normally high spirited person that was going through some emotional termoil. There will be a benifit show at Jerky's in Providence to help Ms. Swift.

I was a good friend of Jay's for a few years and could not think of a single mean or cruel thing he ever did to or around me! He was sweet and kind to me! I understand that people sometimes become unstable but that is not a reason to die! I am so disappointed in the police department that my taxes help support that i am moving out of RI where i have lived for my entire 26 years of life!

My comment to all of the police critics is that you have no idea what police officers go through on a daily basis. The police run to what others run away from. When you need police, your comments are positive. So, don't call the police anymore if you have such a negative view of them. Police endure some of the most stressful situations that you people could never imagine. So, before you judge what you have no idea what you are talking about....look at yourself and think about what these courageous men and women do for the community everyday. Think about the abused children, battered women, and homeless people that they protect and save. I guess we all forget about these things when tragedy occurs.

So, to all you "cop haters," think about that before you dial 911. The police will still be there whether you hate them or not to protect you. Sleep soundly because police protect you when you don't realize it.