Updated at 2:59 p.m.
Two Burlington police officers who were placed on administrative leave following the fatal shooting of a shovel-wielding man earlier this month are returning to duty tomorrow, Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling said, as preliminary investigations have showed they did not violate any rules or laws.
While the Vermont State Police and the Burlington Police Department are still reviewing the shooting death of Wayne Brunette in the New North End on November 6, early indications are that Cpl. Ethan Thibault and Cpl. Brent Navari acted appropriately, Schirling said.
‘They don’t see any red flags,” the chief said in an interview.
The officers are at a training today and will return to regular duty tomorrow, Schirling said.
Brunette was shot four times, the Vermont State Police announced this afternoon, and died of wounds to his torso.
Thibault fired all four shots, Vermont State Police said. The rounds recovered from Brunette, 49, who had a history of mental illness, will be sent to the Vermont Forensic Lab for ballistic analysis.
Navari did not fire.
The Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Brunette’s death a homicide — a medical definition, not a legal one. The formal autopsy report will be incorporated into the ongoing Vermont State Police investigation, which will be submitted to Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell and Chittenden County State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan for review.
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I see lots of red flags. How about that they killed him within two minutes of arriving? How about that they were required to remain 21 feet from him, a big enough safety zone that he shouldn’t have been a threat to their lives? That’s just two of many.
The police have a duty to show up and deal with the things that the rest of us would normally run away from. “Maniac with shovel” fits that category, in my opinion. But let’s all reserve judgement until the facts become known.
yes, but he was coming after the officers. should they run away to maintain that 21 foot distance??? I think not. These officers repeatedly ordered the shovel wielding man to stop, to put down the shovel. Upon continuing to approach the officers in a threatening way wielding a potentially deadly weapon, they resorted to their training. Shoot to kill when threatened with deadly force. Someone is coming at you with a knife raised and aims to stab you, they are moving towards you, what would you do???
The police (nor anyone) has any control of the timing of someone when they decide to attack another, whether it’s 2 minutes or 2 seconds. The 21 foot rule isn’t something the police have to adhere to lol. The 21 foot rule is if I pull out a knife or some other object that can impale you, if I am within 21 feet, I will be successful in impaling you before you can get a weapon out, hence – police can shoot. Have you ever tried to remain 21 feet from a person who is out of their minds, they would be doing the hustle.
“…they resorted to their training.” Like, “I can do this so I will”? I’ll wait to hear the full report, but I am outraged. Police are clearly NOT effectively trained to handle situations with the mentally ill. If “running away” means giving a wider berth, and no one else is in harms way, that’s the prudent thing to do. As I understand it, this sort of situation is what Tasers, backup and riot shields are appropriately meant for. And, there were two officers.
You have police investigating police – there is an inherent bias there. Where is the external oversight? Perhaps some feel safer knowing the police will shoot anyone who is threatening, I do not. I feel less safe when I hear about what seems like excessive force. “Protect and serve.” Protect and serve whom?
I can only imagine the horror of the parents who called the police in desperation only to have the police come and kill their child.
“…they resorted to their training.” Like, “I can do this so I will”? I’ll wait to hear the full report, but I am outraged. Police are clearly NOT effectively trained to handle situations with the mentally ill. If “running away” means giving a wider berth, and no one else is in harms way, that’s the prudent thing to do. As I understand it, this sort of situation is what Tasers, backup and riot shields are appropriately meant for. And, there were two officers.
You have police investigating police – there is an inherent bias there. Where is the external oversight? Perhaps some feel safer knowing the police will shoot anyone who is threatening, I do not. I feel less safe when I hear about what seems like excessive force. “Protect and serve.” Protect and serve whom?
I can only imagine the horror of the parents who called the police in desperation only to have the police come and kill their child.
I do not understand the necessity of 4 shots. I’m not going to second guess the fact that the police faced a threatening man and decided that deadly force was required, I wasn’t there. What I do question is how they decided that he was still a deadly threat after 3 bullets were lodged in his gut and felt he needed another one.
It seems excessive and unnecessary and does make me question the fitness of the officer that continued to fire his weapon.
Yes, back off if that means you dont have to kill a man on his own front lawn in front of his family. Good God, what the hell is wrong with people. His parents must be in horrible condition knowing what happened just from calling the police to prevent wayne from chopping down a tree. Come on people..this isnt the Big City..we dont need police shooting 4 bullets into someone welding a shovel. Im disgusted.
this is one of the most disturbing things I have ever heard…. since when does holding a shovel on your own property (in Vermont of all places where everyone has gardens and I’m sure shovels), constitute reason for a police officer to shoot said person in the torso (i.e. where the shots are most likely to be fatal) 4 times?!?!?!?! why they would even feel it’s okay to shoot in the first place is beyond me…. especially when a mother calls the police about her mentally ill son….. if the guy was indeed perceived to be even slightly threatening, considering he wasn’t holding a gun himself, then why didn’t they first just shoot him in the leg, at which point he would have let go of the shovel and they could have detained him. even that would have been way more traumatizing than someone with mental illness should ever need to sustain. maybe if the state put more into actually helping people with diagnosed mental illness, this guy would have never been in such a situation. my brother suffers from mental illness, and he likes to garden. god forbid a police officer approaches our land, sees my brother holding a garden tool walking towards them, and they shoot him….. my mother freaked out when she read about this. it is the scariest thing on earth to think that all you want to do is help your son, help him get help for his mental illness, and the police feel like they can shoot at an innocent person 4 times?!?!?! this is insane!!!! and in the United States of America!!!!! unbelievable!!!! this case should go to the Supreme Court, not be investigated by the local police department that is now letting these trigger happy cops back on the street. they killed an innocent person. the cops should be sentenced to life in jail, where they can think about the horrendousness they have done. I hope that 7days continues to persue this, and help bring awareness and justice.