On a tragic day in Johnston, Rhode Island, the life of Thomas "TJ" May, a 45-year-old Caucasian male, was cut short. The events of May 24, 2023, unfolded from a chilling incident the night before. Around midnight, May had reported to police that his neighbor, James Harrison, was discovered with a ladder outside his teenage daughter's bedroom window after banging noises were heard. This unnerving encounter was a dark prelude to the violence that would follow.
The next morning, the neighborhood on Ligian Court was shattered by gunfire. Harrison, 52, embarked on a deadly rampage, first killing his own mother before turning his aggression towards the May family. He went to his neighbor's home where he shot and tragically killed Thomas May in his garage. May's daughter was also shot and wounded during the horrific attack but survived. After the shooting, the young girl was able to identify Harrison as the assailant to the responding Johnston Police officers.
Following the shootings, Harrison fled the scene, prompting a statewide alert for his vehicle. He was later spotted by police in the neighboring city of Cranston, which led to a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, Harrison drove erratically, swerving at police cruisers and eventually crashing his vehicle. When he emerged from the disabled car brandishing a firearm, multiple officers from the Cranston, Johnston, and Providence police departments opened fire. Harrison was struck by multiple bullets and died at the scene.
In the aftermath, the community mourned the loss of Thomas May, who was remembered as a devoted family man, a loving father, a loyal friend, and a beloved Little League coach. The investigation into the police shooting of James Harrison concluded over a year later, with the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office ruling that the officers' use of deadly force was legally justified. As the sole suspect in the double homicide, Harrison's death brought the criminal investigation into May's murder to a close, leaving a community to heal from the sudden and senseless loss.
