Bristol, R.I. (WJAR) – A 42-year-old man, Eric Squires, is in police custody after allegedly stabbing his mother and aunt multiple times during a domestic dispute at their home in Bristol.
On February 10, around 5 p.m., the Bristol Police Department responded to a report of a disturbance at 89 Wood St. Officers found Squires covered in blood and unresponsive to their commands in the hallway. Inside the residence, authorities discovered the two women suffering from serious stab wounds.
The victims were immediately transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where they were reported to be in stable condition. Neighbors of the family, known for their tight-knit community, were shaken by the violent attack.
Brandon Millan, a local resident for nine years, described the area as once being peaceful. “It’s a very low-key area where everyone keeps an eye out for each other,” he said. Following the attack, however, the neighborhood atmosphere changed.
“Before, we never locked our doors. After this, every door was locked and double-checked,” said another neighbor.
Millan, who was leaving for work when the emergency response occurred, recalled seeing a flurry of police and emergency vehicles in the area.
“It’s definitely shocking to have something like this happen so close to home, in a place we always felt safe,” said Peter Carpenter, another neighbor.
Squires, who had been out on bail from a prior domestic assault charge, was arrested and later arraigned in the 2nd District Court on February 13. He faces multiple felony charges, including:
Felony domestic assault on persons over 60 resulting in serious bodily injury (two counts)
Assault with a deadly weapon in a dwelling house (two counts)
Possession of a knife during the commission of a felony
Weapons other than firearms prohibited
Domestic disorderly conduct
Violation of a no-contact order (second offense)
Though Millan said he never noticed anything out of the ordinary in the past, one anonymous neighbor revealed that there had been signs of trouble in the home. “There’ve been some issues in the house. We’ve seen things from a distance, through windows,” the neighbor shared.
Squires is currently being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) in Cranston, awaiting his next court appearance.
