Sheriff’s Deputy Cleared In Shooting Of Arthur DaRosa
The Bristol County District Attorney's Office released a report on the Taunton Stabbing Rampage that resulted in the deaths of three people including the assailant, Arthur DaRosa, who was shot and killed by off-duty Plymouth County Sheriff's Deputy James Creed.
The report detailed DaRosa's mental health issues in the days before the incident took place, including depression and suicidal statements, which became more pronounced since he broke up with his girlfriend and mother of his two children.
DaRosa was admitted to Morton Hospital in Taunton on the evening of May 9 after examinations by staff it was determined that DaRosa " showed no evidence of psychosis or thought disorder."
While he was found to be “experiencing acute severe stress” and evaluation concluded that DaRosa “did not appear to require IPT LOC2 ( inpatient level of care) at this time."
He was released from Morton Hospital at 6:36 a.m. on May 10.
The report said that while the discharge instructions had DaRosa’s address and phone number, it gave detailed instructions for a child named Gabriel, rather than DaRosa.
Later in the day DaRosa took his daughters to soccer practice at the Myricks Street Youth Soccer Field where he was overheard talking to himself, saying he was “sorry” repeatedly and for no apparent reason.
He also reportedly spoke to one parent about God, about needing to keep going on with his life, and not knowing what to do next or what would happen to his kids and ranted about people judging him.
DaRosa then left the field and drove off in a 2010 Honda Accord and eventually collided with a small pick-up truck on Myricks St. causing the truck to roll over.
He then ran to a nearby home at 270 Myricks St. where Kathleen Slavin was home with her 80-year-old mother, Patricia had just finished eating dinner.
Kathleen opened the door to speak to Slavin thinking he had been injured and needed help.
He then burst through the door, knocking Kathleen to the ground, he then grabbed a knife and repeatedly attacked both women before getting back in the car and driving away.
Patricia Slavin was taking to Morton Hospital after she sustained bruising and five stab wounds to her back with one stab wound penetrating her left lung and resulted in a hemothorax. She later died from her injuries.
Kathleen Slavin was taken to Morton Hospital for a stab wound to the right side of her neck, two stab wounds to her left chest and two stab wounds to the left side torso.
She was then taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she underwent surgery to remove a buildup of fluid in her lungs and was later released to her home at the end of the week.
Before fleeing in his own vehicle DaRosa attempted to force his way into several vehicles stopped on Myricks Street by banging on car windows with the butt of the knife.
DaRosa then drove to the Silver City Galleria Mall where he crashed his vehicle into north entrance of Macy’s department store causing extensive damage to the entrance and the Accord rested partially inside the glass entrance way.
He ran into the store and attacked three women in the store before fleeing.
After running to the sidewalk outside of the mall he then ran into the Metro PCS store and ran behind the desk and grabbed an employee of the store who fought off DaRosa in a struggle causing DaRosa to flee the store.
DaRosa then went to the Bertucci's Italian Restaurant and approached pregnant waitress Sheenah Savoy, who was at a waitress station retrieving a steak knife.
He then grabbed the knife from her hand and began stabbing Savoy who said she heard him say that he was going to kill her and then himself.
Rosemary Heath who was having dinner with her husband, George, intervened by pushing Savoy aside and placing a chair between her and DaRosa.
George Heath, who worked as a teacher at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School, then attempted to stop DaRosa from being able to stab anyone by physically engaging with DaRosa and trying to pin his arms to his side.
DaRosa turned om Heath and stabbed him in the right temple of his head.
James Creed, an off-duty Plymouth County Sheriff’s Deputy was having dinner in the restaurant when the incident occurred.
Creed put his badge around his neck and drew his firearm, a .45 caliber Glock pistol, and identified himself as an officer and told DaRosa to "stop, drop the knife, and get down."
DaRosa then moved on Creed.
Creed, who has also been sworn as a Bristol County Deputy Sheriff, says he continued to order DaRosa to get on the ground.
DaRosa then said “You and I are both going to die today.”
Creed took aim and fired a single shot at DaRosa.
Sheenah Savoy was was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with life-threatening injuries, which she and her unborn child survived.
George Heath was taken to Morton Hospital in Taunton where he was later pronounced dead.
DaRosa was transported to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River where he was pronounced dead.
The final report concluded that Creed "reasonably concluded that DaRosa presented a clear, present, and imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury," and that "if he did not take immediate action, that additional people in Bertucci’s, and possibly himself, would be killed or seriously injured."
Creed's actions were "both justified and lawful."