Providence, Rhode Island Mayor Brett Smiley addressed criticism Friday over his decision to publicly declare the city safe while a mass shooter remained at large, saying he prioritized community resilience and continuity of daily life even amid uncertainty. In an interview on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” Smiley insisted his actions were motivated by the need to support residents and keep routines as normal as possible.
Host Elizabeth Vargas questioned Smiley about his remarks reassuring the public shortly after the shooting, when authorities were still searching for the suspect responsible for injuring 11 people. “Do you believe that’s fair criticism?” Vargas asked. “How can you assure people the city’s safe, when, in fact, there’s a guy who shot 11 people who’s running around and hasn’t been caught?”
Smiley acknowledged it was a tough balance for community leaders but stood by his approach. He emphasized Providence is a “tight-knit community,” noting, “I live in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred.” Despite the ongoing search at the time, Smiley said residents needed to continue their lives. “Kids needed to go to school, people needed to go to work. We needed to find the strength to start to take steps forward,” he said. To reinforce that sense of normalcy and safety, he pointed to a large visible law enforcement presence on street corners and gratitude for support from law enforcement across Rhode Island.
Smiley also addressed the issue of a person of interest who was briefly detained but later cleared of involvement in the shooting. Vargas asked whether he was satisfied with how the investigation unfolded, including that misstep.
“I am entirely satisfied with the police work that happened here in the last five days,” Smiley replied. He emphasized that investigators pursued multiple leads and that focusing on one potential suspect temporarily was not a dereliction of duty. “And if we had gotten a credible lead and not run it down, that would have been a violation of our duty,” he said.
Smiley admitted he and the community momentarily allowed themselves to believe the person of interest might be the shooter, and that it was disappointing when it turned out not to be the case. Nonetheless, he stressed that the broader investigation continued along several paths, which ultimately led to resolution and closure for victims and residents.
Smiley’s comments reflect the difficult decisions leaders face during public safety crises, balancing transparency, reassurance, and ongoing investigative uncertainty in real time.
