Providence College forward Duncan Powell was arrested early Sunday by Cranston police and charged with domestic violence disorderly conduct after officers say he threatened his ex-girlfriend and several people outside an apartment. Police detained Powell at gunpoint and later booked him at the Cranston Police Department, an incident that has sparked a local investigation and fresh scrutiny of Powell’s recent conduct on and off the court.
According to WJAR, Cranston officers were called to Plainfield Pike shortly after 1 a.m. for a report that an ex-boyfriend was outside a residence with a gun. The outlet reports that Powell’s ex-girlfriend showed officers a large bruise and said a tracker had been placed on her car. A witness told investigators Powell had arrived earlier, threatened to kill everyone in the house and then himself, and stayed at the front door for several minutes before police arrived.
Arrest and booking
Police say an officer who answered one of Powell’s calls could hear him walking before seeing him approach with a hand tucked in his sweatshirt. He was arrested at gunpoint, NBC Boston reports. Officers searching the area said they did not find a weapon on Powell, and his vehicle was located a short distance from the apartment. Cranston police later released a booking photo to local media after the arrest.
Powell's background
Powell is listed on Providence College’s athletics site as a 6-foot-8 forward who joined the Friars for the 2025-26 season after previous stops at Georgia Tech, Sacramento State and North Carolina A&T, according to the school’s release. The athletic department’s announcement details his transfer history and college résumé after Providence added him to the roster last spring. This season, his role and minutes had been limited as the Friars worked through conference play.
Legal context
The charge in the case is domestic violence disorderly conduct, and Rhode Island’s Domestic Violence Prevention Act treats disorderly conduct as one of the offenses that can be prosecuted as domestic violence when it involves a family or household member, according to the state’s statutes. That framework can influence how police respond to reports, how cases are filed, and whether specialized domestic violence procedures are used in court. Any ultimate criminal outcome will depend on the local investigation and prosecutorial decisions.
Where this leaves the Friars
The arrest lands just weeks after Powell was suspended three games by the Big East for a flagrant foul that triggered a brawl during a February game, per ESPN. With postseason play on the horizon, Providence’s staff and the conference now face questions about discipline and roster choices while prosecutors and police decide the next steps in the criminal case. WJAR reports the college told local media it did not have further comment at this time.
