Grand Jury: Tiverton, Fall River Police Justified in Shooting of Murder Suspect

TIVERTON, RI—A grand jury has ruled that members of the Tiverton and Fall River Police Departments were justified in shooting an armed murder suspect following a chase through both communities on June 13.

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin said Thursday that the Statewide Grand Jury completed its investigation surrounding the shooting of Edward Aquisto, 80, and "determined that the actions of the officers of both departments were lawful and legally justified."

Aquisto murdered 81-John Cloud of Kingston, MA, over a debt in Pocasset Hill Cemetery in Tiverton before leading police on a chase back to a Ford Farm Road house where he fired at officers, who fired back.

Authorities said that Aquisto had loaned Cloud a large sum of money about five years earlier. The two men had met in the cemetery before a confrontation.

Cloud was shot twice and died at the cemetery.

Acquisto had a long criminal history, including a conviction for the 1978 beating death of a Woonsocket bartender.