Updated 6:25 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8
Vermont State Police are investigating two separate, but what they believe are connected, incidents in Rutland and Salisbury. In Rutland, local police shot and killed the 33-year-old son of the city's former mayor early Tuesday morning. The same day, police discovered a man's body on Lake Dunmore Road.
In the first case, the man fatally shot by Rutland police has been identified as Christopher G. Louras, the son of former Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras.
Rutland City Police Chief Brian Kilcullen said he spoke with the former mayor, adding that it was a difficult time for the family.
According to a VSP press release, Louras fired a gun at the Rutland City Police Department before he led officers on a pursuit:
Preliminary investigation indicates the suspect drove by the Rutland City Police Department at about 5:30 a.m. and fired a gun multiple times into the front entrance of the building. No one was injured. Shortly before 7 a.m., the vehicle was located, and a pursuit ensued, which culminated with an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police. The suspect was struck and injured, then transported to Rutland Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. No officers or civilians were hurt.
VSP said Louras and the local officers were in a parking lot off Evelyn Street and near the railroad tracks in downtown Rutland when police fatally shot Louras.
Four police officers from the Rutland town and city departments have been placed on paid administrative leave.
A VSP press release said the officers' names would be released on Wednesday, at which point the shooting case will be turned over to the Vermont Attorney General's Office and the Rutland County State's Attorney Office for "independent reviews of the use of force."
At a press conference Tuesday, VSP Maj. Dan Trudeau did not identify the man found dead in Salisbury and said detectives were continuing to investigate the scene.
"We're treating that as a homicide; it's an apparent homicide to us, right out of the gate," Trudeau said. "We do believe there's ties between that incident in Salisbury as well as this one down here in [Rutland] city."
More than two dozen law enforcement officers are taking part in the investigation. In the meantime, VSP does not believe there is a threat to the public.
The state police are asking anyone with information to call 802-773-9101.
