Elderly Woman Recovering After Shooting At Richmond Campground

RICHMOND, RI — An elderly woman is recovering after she was shot multiple times at a Richmond campground on Thursday by a man who later shot himself, police said. Maureen Smith, 78, underwent surgery and is in stable condition at Rhode Island Hospital.

The shooting happened just before 8:30 a.m. at Wawaloam Campground at 510 Gardiner Rd., Richmond police said. When police arrived, Smith was conscious, telling police that she was attacked by Daniel Brown, 77.

According to police, Brown was a tenant at the campground whom the Smith family had asked to leave due to "concerns for his health and ability to care for himself." Brown had lived at the campground for 30 years and was supposed to be gone by Friday, WPRI reported.

Witnesses told police that they heard gunshots a few minutes after Brown drove up to Smith's house. Smith then climbed out of the first-floor window of her home and ran to her daughter's house.

After the shooting, Brown got back into his truck and started to drive away. As he neared the campground's exit, Brown shot at one of Smith's adult sons through his truck window, missing him before shooting at another man who tried to stop him, missing him as well, police said.

The witness followed Brown in his own car as he drove north on Gardiner Road, calling 911 and telling Rhode Island State Police where they were headed. Police set up a perimeter and found Brown, who had stopped, in the area of Bell Schoolhouse Road and New London Turnpike in Exeter. Brown then shot himself in the truck, and was dead when officers reached him.

The victim, Smith, was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital by the Hope Valley Ambulance Corps. She underwent surgery for gunshot wounds to her chest, abdomen and hand and is in stable condition, police said.

"We are hopeful that she will make a full recovery," Richmond Police Chief Elwood Johnson said in a press release.

Johnson thanked the state police for their help in the emergency response and investigation.

"This incident involved multiple witnesses to be interviewed, court-authorized search warrants for multiple locations involving two jurisdictions, including outdoor crime scenes in inclement weather, so their timely disposal of so many assets and resources was of particular importance," he said.

Richmond Councilman Paul Michaud praised the department's swift response in an email on Friday morning.

"It is a sad time indeed to read about this type of incident, especially when it concerns senior citizens," Michaud said. "I pray for a complete recovery for Mrs. Smith and I am sad to learn that Mr. Brown took his own life. God help us, everyone. Thanks for a job well done by the officers of the Richmond Police and the State Police as well."