State Finds Officer Justified in Pittsford Shooting

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(Host) Attorney General William Sorrell and Rutland County State’s Attorney James Mongeon say a state trooper was justified when he shot a Pittsford man last April. In Rutland on Monday, Sorrell and Mongeon announced the results of their investigations into the shooting.

VPR’s Nina Keck was there.

(Keck) On April 14, two state troopers responded to a 911 call reporting domestic violence at a home just off Route 7 in Pittsford. The caller complained that 33-year old David Harvey was drunk and had threatened a family member. By the time state troopers Thomas Jacques and Helaine Gaiotti arrived, Harvey had fled the scene. But the suspect returned a short time later in a pick up truck. Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell says that what happened next left Sergeant Jacques with few options:

(Sorrell) “Mr. Harvey was heavily intoxicated ¿ nearly four times the legal limit. He was armed, when he stopped and confronted the police, he took the rifle from his truck, raised it, pointed it at the troopers, ignored their repeated requests and demands that he drop the rifle. Sergeant Jacques in his statement said that he was very concerned that he was about to be killed. That he was looking down the barrel at this rifle pointed at him and finally he had no alternative and fired twice.”

(Keck) Harvey was hit once in the stomach and once in the shoulder and was hospitalized for twelve days at Rutland Regional Medical Center. Attorney General Sorrell and Rutland County State’s Attorney James Mongeon conducted separate reviews of the shooting. Both found Sergeant Thomas Jacques’ actions were justified. Mongeon said he would meet with investigators to determine whether charges would be filed against David Harvey and if so what the charges would be.

For Vermont Public Radio, I’m Nina Keck in Rutland.

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