FBI seeks help in R.I. cruiser arson probe

The FBI and local police agencies are seeking the public’s help to identify two men who may have information related to the arson investigation of the torching of a Providence police cruiser.

Investigators from the FBI, the Providence Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police would like to speak with these two men who were seen in the vicinity of the Providence Place Mall during a June 1 riot that happened in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.

“They may have information relevant to the ongoing investigation into the vandalism and arson of a Providence Police Department cruiser,” the FBI wrote on Thursday.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the identification and arrests of those responsible.

On June 1, two Providence Police Department officers responded to 1 Providence Place for a riot. The officers parked and secured their vehicle but were overtaken by a group of individuals who threw rocks, bottles, and other objects, police said.

Several people then vandalized the cruiser, breaking its windows, and eventually setting it on fire.

Individual #1 appears to be a light-skinned male, approximately 6’1” tall, with a shaved head and a medium-to-heavy build.

He wore a black jacket, white sweatpants, a camouflage mask, and was sometimes seen wearing eyeglasses.

Individual #2 is believed to be a light-skinned male with a black beard and a slender build.

He wore a black hoodie with white writing on the right sleeve, a black baseball hat with red writing on the back, and a camouflage bandana.

The FBI said that anyone with information about these individuals or the burning of the cruiser should call the FBI’s Boston Office at 857-386-2000. People can also contact their local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.