Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia explained how his department determined whether to charge the five males who assaulted a fellow Barrington High School student on April 24 with simple assault or felony assault. Chief Correia said felony assault and/or battery is an assault with a deadly weapon or when there is an assault that results in serious bodily injury.

The law offers various examples of serious bodily injury, including an assault that creates a substantial risk of death; causes protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part, member, or organ; or causes serious permanent disfigurement. All five alleged assailants, ranging in age from 15 to 18, were charged with felony assault.

RI Gen. Laws 11-5-2 states: “Felony assault. Every person who shall make an assault or battery, or both, upon the person of another, with a dangerous weapon, or with acid or other dangerous substance, or by fire, or an assault or battery that results in serious bodily injury shall be guilty of a felony assault. If such assault results in serious bodily injury, it shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than twenty (20) years. Every other felony assault which results in bodily injury or no injury shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than six (6) years.”

Chief Correia said earlier this week that the 18-year-old who was the victim of the attack suffered serious facial injuries.

Since news of the violent incident became public earlier this week, Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore released a statement. It reads:

Dear BPS Community,

Barrington Public Schools is aware of a recent and concerning incident involving a group of our high school students that occurred off school grounds and outside of school hours and activities. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prevents us from discussing details of this matter because of the sensitive nature of the situation. I want to assure you that the safety of our students is always our highest priority and that our high school, and all of Barrington Public Schools, has zero tolerance for behaviors that jeopardize the safety of any member of our educational community.

We remain actively engaged in ensuring our students are held responsible for upholding conduct that reflects this shared commitment.

Thank you,

Mike Messore
Superintendent
Barrington Public Schools