Police officers were justified in shooting 29 times at a man in Barton in May. That’s the conclusion of an investigation by the office of Attorney General Bill Sorrell.
Vermont State Police Trooper Seth Loomis and Sergeant Denis Girouard shot 28-year-old Eric Jackson after a police chase in Caledonia County on May 28. The officers pursued Jackson after he ran a stop sign and did not pull over for sirens and blue lights.
The troopers pursued Jackson for 18 miles. When he finally stopped his vehicle he then rammed two police cruisers before accelerating toward one of the troopers. That’s when the troopers fired a "combined total of 29 shots," according to a news release.
He received treatment for multiple gunshot wounds to the face, stomach, shoulder and hand. Jackson was on furlough status with the Department of Corrections when the shooting occurred.
The investigation concluded that the troopers were reasonable in their belief that they were in imminent danger of death or serious injury when they fired at Jackson. An independent review by the Orleans County State’s Attorney Alan Franklin reached the same conclusion.
