Warwick Man Convicted For Shooting At Neighbor's Home That Had 3 Children Inside

WARWICK, RI — A Warwick man was convicted Thursday for shooting at a home belonging to a family with three young children.

Stephen Shoesmith, 49, was found guilty in Kent County Superior Court of four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

"These assault charges could have easily been murder charges had the circumstances been only slightly different," Attorney Peter General Neronha said. "We are supposed to feel safe in our homes, and while this young family wasn’t physically harmed, an event like this can certainly cause significant and lifelong emotional trauma. Let this verdict serve as a cautionary tale for those who might consider using a firearm in such a reckless and dangerous way."

During the trial, prosecutors proved that on Aug. 6, 2021, Shoesmith shot twice at a Warwick home. Warwick police responded to a report of shots fired on Lincoln Avenue. When officers arrived, they found two small bullet holes and two .380 caliber projectiles inside the home.

A woman was home at the time of the shooting with her 6-year-old son, 3-year-old son, and 1-year-old daughter.

Two days later, the victim's neighbor, Shoesmith, called Warwick police to report he found a .380 shell casing in his yard while mowing the lawn. He told police he did not hear any gunfire, prosecutors said.

Then on June 17, 2022, police found a gun and the same type of ammunition at Shoesmith's home while executing an unrelated warrant for his arrest, prosecutors said. According to prosecutors, Shoesmith admitted to police that he fired the two shots out of his window towards the victims' home while he was inebriated. He also admitted to planting the shell casing in front of his home in an attempt to throw off the police investigation.

"Those that handle firearms with reckless disregard for the consequences of their actions are a threat to our community," Warwick Police Chief Bradford Connor said. "I’m glad justice could be served in this case."

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.