A St. Johnsbury cop who was shot and wounded last December won’t face any charges for firing his own gun at his alleged assailant.
Attorney General Charity Clark announced Thursday that her office determined Capt. Jason Gray was justified in using his weapon. In a separate review, the Windham County state’s attorney came to the same conclusion. (It’s standard practice for both a county prosecutor and the AG’s office to review police shootings.)
The incident began on Dec. 13, 2024, when Gray was investigating an alleged domestic assault at the home of Scott Mason, according to the attorney general’s office. Gray went up the stairs to Mason’s apartment and met the woman who reported the assault.
Gray was talking to the woman in a hallway outside the apartment when Mason allegedly shot him, the attorney general’s office said. Gray went behind a door frame and was hit by a second shot. At the same time, he fired one bullet from his gun towards the shooter, but didn’t hit anyone, according to the AG’s office.
Vermont law allows police to use deadly force if they’re facing an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, and if there’s no other alternative. The AG’s office determined that Gray had “no other reasonable alternative” besides firing his gun.
Mason fled after the shooting, which spurred an extensive manhunt. He was eventually found hiding out in a building next door to where the shooting took place. Several people face charges for allegedly helping hide Mason from law enforcement.
Mason has pleaded not guilty to several charges related to the shooting, including first degree attempted murder and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. He’s incarcerated at Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport, according to the Department of Corrections.
Gray was hospitalized and treated for “extensive, but non-fatal injuries,” according to the AG’s office.
St. Johnsbury Police Chief Joel Pierce didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about Gray’s current condition and employment status.
