East Providence man charged with attempted murder following violent attack with a hammer

Published on Tuesday, September 26, 2023

An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced that an East Providence man has been charged in Providence County Superior Court with multiple counts of felony assault, including assault with attempt to murder, after allegedly attacking an East Providence man with a hammer on July 5, 2023. 

On August 22, 2023, the Office of the Attorney General charged Kenneth Jackson (age 47), by way of criminal information, with one count of assault with intent to murder, one count of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of assault on a person over the age of 60, and one count of disorderly conduct.

As alleged in the criminal information, on July 5, 2023, East Providence Police responded to the parking lot of a retail shopping center at 1040 Willet Avenue after a witness reported seeing a man standing over another man with a hammer in his hand. Upon arrival, officers found the defendant sitting at a nearby picnic table and detained him. Rescue personnel transported the victim to Rhode Island Hospital for his injuries.

As further alleged, investigators obtained surveillance footage from a nearby Shaw’s supermarket which depicted the victim walking away from the neighboring Dollar Tree store with the defendant following him close behind. The footage then allegedly shows the defendant strike the victim twice in the back of the head with the hammer, unprovoked.

As further alleged, the investigators obtained the defendant’s consent to search his apartment. Investigators found a letter, written by the defendant, that described his intentions to kill someone that day.

The defendant is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference on October 23, 2023, in Providence County Superior Court.

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