During a police standoff in North Providence, Rhode Island on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, the shooting suspect and his spouse got three hot wieners.
According to the Providence Journal, a woman named Rachel Lombardi was assaulted in her home by an acquaintance. The police say the fight was allegedly caused by a "drug incident," although it's unclear whether that's true, or an assumption based on the fact that one of the suspects was charged with cocaine possession back in May. Anyway, Lombardi's husband, Gino Rotundo, returned home, and called up the alleged assaulting acquaintance, asking him to come back to the house that afternoon so they could talk it out.
When he arrived, Rotundo took out an AR-15 and shot a single bullet at him. No person or object was hit by the bullet, but I suppose this was enough to deliver the obligatory tough guy message. Naturally, someone called the police about the gun shot … at which point, Rotundo barricaded himself and his wife inside of the house.
The police showed up with SWAT gear and hostage negotiators around 2:40pm. They surrounded the home, but didn't enter, because they didn't believe that anyone inside the house was at risk. This is what the police told the Providence Journal, anyway, which seems in stark contrast to these small details:
During the night, Rachel Lombardi's Facebook page was updated with a post that read only "Help."
However, police felt no one was at risk in the home, therefore they would not enter. Ruggiero said Rotondo, in a Facebook post, had indicated that he wanted police to enter, and that "his words were to the effect that if that was the case, that there would be a bloodbath."
Approximately 4 hours into the standoff, the negotiations reached a standstill, with Rotundo refusing to talk to the police. Around 9pm, however, he answered his cell phone again:
Around 9 p.m., contact was reestablished. Rotundo said that he and Rachel Lombardi were hungry and would exit the house peacefully after getting food. They ordered three hot wieners and a pizza from a local restaurant.
Rotundo and Lombardi got their hot wieners delivered, though it's unclear if they tipped the driver, or how well (although the Providence Journal did curiously interview a different food delivery worker who lived next door to Rotundo). After consuming their hot wieners — at least I'm assuming they ate them, anyway — but after the delivery, the couple still refused to leave the house. The police shut down the electricity and internet access during the night, and Rotundo and Lombardi surrendered peacefully the next morning, after a 17 hour standoff.
Rotundo is currently undergoing a psychiatric assessment. I for one hope they serve hot wieners in the cafeteria.
Standoff ends at North Providence home as man, woman surrender peacefully [Amy Russo / The Providence Journal]
Image: Sargoth / Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA 1.0)
