Warwick Man Guilty in 2021 Shooting At Neighbor’s House

PROVIDENCE, R.I. –  A Warwick man has been found guilty in Kent County Superior Court for a 2021 shooting that endangered a family with three young children, Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Friday.

On Feb. 20, 2025, following a four-day jury trial before Superior Court Justice Luis M. Matos, a jury found Stephen Shoesmith, 49, guilty 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,” said Attorney General Neronha. “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. I want to thank the jury for getting this one right, and to the Warwick Police Department for their hard work on this difficult case.”

During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on Aug. 6, 2021, the defendant fired two shots at his neighbor’s home in Warwick.

Shoesmith Admits Shooting at Neighbor’s House While Intoxicated Aug. 6 2021

On Aug. 6, 2021, Warwick Police responded to the shooting on a report of shots fired on Lincoln Avenue in Warwick. Upon arrival, investigators located two small bullet holes and two .380 caliber projectiles inside the residence. The occupant of the residence was home at the time of the shooting with her six-year-old son, three-year-old son, and one-year-old daughter. Officers canvassed the area, at which time several neighbors reported hearing gunfire.

On August 8, 2021, the victim’s neighbor (the defendant) contacted the Warwick Police to report that he found a .380 Winchester shell casing in his yard while mowing the lawn, though he reported to the police that he did not hear any gunfire the night of the incident.

On June 17, 2022, police located a .380 Taurus handgun and .380 Winchester ammunition at the defendant’s residence while executing an unrelated warrant for the defendant’s arrest. Investigators transported the defendant to Warwick Police Headquarters where he admitted to firing two shots out of his window toward the victims’ residence while he was inebriated on August 6, 2021. He also admitted to planting the shell casing in front of his home in 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,” said Warwick Police Chief Bradford Connor. “I’m glad justice could be served in this case. Thank you to our partners at the Attorney General’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution of this case.”

Special Assistant Attorney General John Malloy of the Office of the Attorney General and Detective Terance McMullin of the Warwick Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of this case.