By Patrick Adrian
[email protected]
BRISTOL, Vt. — Two Vermont State Police troopers are under investigation after shooting and wounding a Bristol man during a confrontation Tuesday night.
Troopers Robert Helm and Matthew Hood of the New Haven Barracks remain on administrative leave following an incident Tuesday evening in which Helm and Hood, while responding to a domestic violence, opened fire on Greg West, 28, after West alleged refused to drop his shotgun during an escalating exchange.
On Tuesday night, Dec. 3, Helm, Hood and Jori Fairbanks, a Bristol police officer, responded to a domestic violence call at a home on Lower Notch Road, where they were confronted by West. West was allegedly armed with a shotgun, according to the preliminary investigation.
A relative in the home who had placed the 911 call had reported that West was intoxicated, posed as a threat and had damaged the home. The relative also reported that there were several children inside and that West had the shotgun.
The two troopers and Fairbanks allegedly had several verbal exchanges with West in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, according to a Vermont State Police press release.
“West ultimately refused to drop the shotgun and the two troopers fired multiple rounds from their patrol rifles, striking West multiple times,” the press release stated.
Investigators believe the shooting occurred around 10:30 p.m.
Hood, Helm and Fairbanks immediately rendered first aid to West and called an ambulance to the scene, the press release states. West was transported by helicopter to the University of Vermont Medical center in Burlington, where West underwent surgery. West was reportedly in critical but stable condition.
Detectives with the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigations, as well as members of the Crime Scene Search Team and Field Force Division are still investigating the incident.
Policy requires that officers under investigation for use of force must be placed on administrative leave for a minimum of five days. After that period, Helm and Hood are expected to return to administrative duty while the investigation is under review by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office and the Addison County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Helm joined the Vermont State Police in 2014 as a trooper at the Derby Barracks. He transferred to the New Haven Barracks in September 2016, then worked on temporary assignment at the Rutland Barracks from November 2017 to February 2018 before returning to New Haven.
Hood began work as a trooper at the Rutland Barracks in January 2018 before transferring to New Haven in November 2019.
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