Detective James L. Allen was shot with his own gun by a robbery suspect at police headquarters.

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, April 17, 2006

BY GREGORY SMITH
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- One year ago today Detective James L. Allen died in a struggle with a robbery and assault suspect at police headquarters, shot with his own gun.

His colleagues, still saddened by the loss of a shrewd investigator and genial coworker, will mark the occasion with separate gatherings at the Public Safety Complex today.

"It's really just a day for the department to pay tribute to Jimmy and to remember him in a special way," said Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Kennedy.

At 8:30 a.m., detectives and other officers are scheduled to gather in the third-floor detective bureau for coffee and danish and to reminisce.

"It will just be a small get-together," Kennedy said. "There will probably be a prayer said for Jimmy in the conference room."

Allen, 50, was killed in the conference room, allegedly shot by Esteban Carpio, a former barber who was being questioned in the stabbing and attempted robbery of an elderly woman. When Carpio asked for a drink of water, Allen was left alone with him and Carpio allegedly used the opportunity to jump Allen and take his gun away.

The conference room door was slammed shut and a detective who went for the water was locked out. There were sounds of a struggle for 10 to 20 seconds, and Allen called out for help. There was a single gunshot, silence, then two or more additional gunshots as Carpio allegedly shot out a window in an adjacent office and briefly escaped.

A week from today, Carpio tentatively is scheduled to go on trial in Superior Court in Allen's slaying, charged with murder and using a firearm in a crime of violence. He is being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions.

The conference room has been dedicated to Allen, and the door was changed so it no longer can be locked from the inside. Allen was promoted posthumously to detective sergeant.

At noon today, a larger gathering cosponsored by the department and the Fraternal Order of Police is scheduled for the second-floor atrium, and food and music are on the program.

Lt. Mary Day, police district 4 commander, will sing and accompany herself on guitar, as she did at Allen's funeral Mass. And a moment of silence will be observed.

Members of the department peer-support unit are expected to be available to listen to and counsel any employee who remains troubled by the loss of Allen and related issues.

The public and the news media are not invited to today's events, which are intended as an in-house commemoration. The Allen family will mark the occasion privately and will not attend, according to Kennedy.

"It's going to be a difficult day for the Police Department and for the Allen family," said Kennedy, who went to the police academy with Allen in 1978 and who served with him in the detective bureau.

A public commemoration of Allen and other fallen officers is scheduled during National Police Week, May 14-20, in Providence.

LOOK BACK at the shooting death of Det. Sgt. James Allen and its aftermath including a multimedia report on his funeral at:

http://projo.com/extra/2005/detectiveallen

gsmith@projo.com / (401) 277-7334