Children facing murder charges in fatal R.I. assault were caught after allegedly throwing rocks at a vehicle, police say - The Boston Globe

PROVIDENCE – Juveniles now charged with murder in an attack on a 51-year-old Rony Alonso earlier this month allegedly threw rocks at a vehicle and attempted to assault the driver the day after the attack, police records show.

Alonso was attacked near 249 Manton Ave., by three 12-year-old children and one 11-year-old child sometime before 7:23 p.m. on Jan. 19, according to reports filed by Providence police.

Authorities have said three of the four juveniles charged were taken into custody after a separate disturbance in the area.

According to a police report of that incident, plain clothes investigators were “paying special attention to the Manton Avenue area” on Jan. 20 because of assault on Alonso.

Around 4:04 p.m., they saw a disturbance in front of 228 Manton Ave., where “numerous bystanders and vehicles began to stop and watch,” police wrote in the report.

Police saw three boys matching the description of the suspects from the assault involved in the disturbance, separated them, and detained them, authorities wrote.

Authorities spoke to a 57-year-old woman at the scene who said the three juveniles had thrown rocks at her vehicle, causing damage, police wrote.

The woman told an officer she parked and approached them to “confront them about their actions,” according to the report.

She said “upon approaching the suspects, they attempted to assault her,” police wrote.

Officers were able to separate the juveniles “before they were able to strike her,” police wrote.

The suspects told police they did not throw anything at the woman “and became uncooperative,” authorities wrote.

They were each charged with one count of disorderly conduct and one count of malicious vandalism, and brought to the Rhode Island Training School, according to police.

According to police, a fourth juvenile suspect in the attack on Alonso was later identified and arrested on a warrant.

Officials have said witnesses reported to police they saw several people assault Alonso on Jan. 19, knocking him to the ground, and kicking and punching him before fleeing the scene, officials said.

Alonso “attempted to speak however [he] kept mumbling in a low voice,” police wrote in a report.

He was brought to Rhode Island Hospital, where his condition deteriorated in the hours after the incident, police said. He died of his injuries on Jan. 22, police said.

The four juveniles were initially charged with felony assault and conspiracy, but the charges were upgraded this week after Alonso’s autopsy was completed, officials said.

The Office of the Medical Examiner determined Alonso’s cause of death was blunt force trauma, police said.

All four were arraigned on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit felony assault in Family Court on Tuesday, officials said.

Material from previous Globe stories was used in this report.

Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.