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Jury acquits Pawtucket police officer in shooting of teen driver


Pawtucket Police Officer Daniel Dolan embraces his lawyer after a jury in Kent County Superior Court acquits him in the shooting of a teenager, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. (WJAR)
Pawtucket Police Officer Daniel Dolan embraces his lawyer after a jury in Kent County Superior Court acquits him in the shooting of a teenager, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. (WJAR)
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A suspended Pawtucket police officer was acquitted Thursday on all charges stemming from the shooting of a teenager in June 2021.

The teen driver’s parents told NBC 10 News that they’re disgusted and heartbroken for their son and worry the officer could do something like this again.

Officer Daniel Dolan sat frozen in Kent County Superior Court as the jury read the verdict.

Dolan faced three felony counts of assault and one count of discharging a firearm while committing an act of violence after shooting teen driver Dominic Vincent for speeding down I-95 on June 23, 2021.

As Dolan embraced his family, Vincent’s family angrily dashed out of the courtroom.

"Our justice system is (expletive), that’s all I can say," said Robert Vincent, Dominic's father.

Asked if he could say something to Dolan:

"Nothing," said Vincent's mother, Lisa Vincent.

Dolan has been suspended without pay from the Pawtucket Police Department since the encounter outside a pizza shop in West Greenwich.

"Absolutely not. He's going to kill somebody, and it's only been a matter of time. This isn’t the only incident that he has, so," Robert Vincent said.

Dolan and his attorney exited the courthouse looking exhausted and relieved.

"Relief is one emotion, yes," Dolan told NBC 10 News.

When asked what’s next for him, Dolan said he hasn’t gotten that far yet. And if he could say something to the young men in the car?

"I think that’s between myself and the young men," Dolan said.

The city of Pawtucket sent a statement to NBC 10 News about Dolan's future, saying it's obligated to follow the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights, or LEOBOR.

"Throughout this criminal investigation, the Police Department has been conducting an internal parallel investigation. The Pawtucket Police Department will continue the internal investigation and consult with the city's outside legal counsel to pursue employment discipline for violations of policies, rules, and regulations of the Police Department in accordance with LEOBOR," Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said in a statement.

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