Son of man who died in shootout with Providence police charged with assaulting TV reporter

PROVIDENCE — The 30-year-old son of a man who fought police in a gun battle was charged Friday night with assaulting a television reporter as she worked at the scene of Thursday's crossfire, the police said.

Joshua Maclean assaulted WJAR reporter Joanna Bouras just after 5 p.m. on Denison Street, according to Providence police Cmdr. Thomas Verdi.

Verdi said Maclean yelled and swore at Bouras as she recorded, and that he pushed her with enough force to cause her "to fall into a concrete wall." Maclean will be charged with simple assault, he said.

WJAR news director Scott Isaacs said Friday that Bouras was not injured in the incident.

Verdi added that Maclean was wanted on a 2012 warrant charging him with failure to appear in court. Maclean had pleaded no contest to driving under the influence, according to court records.

Early Thursday morning, Maclean's father, 61-year-old Scott Maclean, was involved in a domestic disturbance that brought Providence police to 25 Denison St. around 2:30 a.m.

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Police officers retreated from the house with some of the father's relatives, including adult children and grandchildren, when they learned the man was heavily armed.

During a lengthy standoff in the Charles neighborhood, they were unable to talk to Maclean. Introducing pepper spray to the house failed to get him out, according to Verdi and Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré.

Around 6 a.m., they say, Maclean opened fire on members of Providence's Special Response Unit, which is a tactical team. Members of the team barraged Maclean's fighting positions.

During the confrontation, part of the house erupted in flames. Later, Maclean was found dead in a second-floor bedroom, the police said.

Verdi said he could not comment Friday on various details, including the types of weapons Maclean fought with, how he died and whether he was shot during his battle with police.

His death is the focus of an investigation by the Rhode Island State Police and the office of Attorney General Peter Neronha.

"All further updates related to this incident will be provided to the media next week," said a police spokeswoman, Lindsay Lague.