BRATTLEBORO — Three officers from the Brattleboro Police Department and one Vermont State Police trooper have been placed on paid administrative leave as an investigation continues into the May 4 shooting of a Texas man on Black Mountain Road.
According to a news release from Vermont State Police, Brattleboro Police Sgt. Chase Stanley and officers Michael Cable and Sean Wilson, as well as State Police Trooper Jason Lengfellner from the Westminster barracks, were involved in the shooting of a Texas man who was allegedly involved in a pair of armed robberies earlier that day in Weathersfield and Westminster.
Brattleboro Police Sgt. Adam Petlock and State Police Trooper Joshua Gagnon were also present at the shooting scene, state police said, but didn't use their weapons.
According to state police, Mark Triolo, 46, wasn't armed when he was shot, but a pellet pistol was later found in his car.
Triolo was initially treated for his wounds at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital before he was transferred to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where he is reportedly in stable condition.
According to state police, a Sunoco station in Weathersfield was robbed shortly before 8 p.m. on May 4. A short time later, at about 8:26 p.m., Allen Bros. farm stand in Westminster was also robbed.
State police then told Brattleboro Police that a white male, armed with a handgun and driving a black SUV with Texas license plates, was driving south from the last reported robbery in Westminster.
Suspect fled
A Brattleboro police officer spotted Triolo's car at Brattleboro Mobil at Exit 3 of Interstate 91 at about 8:41 p.m. The officer waited for assistance to arrive, and when they did, state police said the officers approached the vehicle on foot. The suspect then fled, driving south on Putney Road.
At about 8:50 p.m., state police said a resident of 460 Black Mountain Rd. called police to report that a vehicle had pulled into their driveway and shut its lights off. A total of four Brattleboro officers and two state troopers arrived at the residence and found the vehicle was empty.
State police said the officers started to search the woods near the residence and eventually came in contact with Triolo. He was ordered to stop and show his hands, but Triolo didn't respond to the verbal commands and “officers fired multiple rounds, striking the subject,” according to a state police news release.
Triolo was then taken into custody and received medical aid for his wounds until paramedics from Rescue Inc. arrived. Personnel from the Windham County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the arrest/
According to state police, Triolo “was struck with multiple rounds to his legs and at least one round to his torso.”
Besides the robberies in Weathersfield and Westminster, state police said Triolo is also a suspect in a May 1 armed robbery at the Small City Market in Vergennes and may have been responsible for several other armed robberies.
Triolo also has active arrest warrants out of Texas and New York, state police said.
“Detectives are working closely with local law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and state and federal prosecutors regarding the multiple crimes that Triolo is suspected to have been involved with,” according to state police. “Robberies in Vermont include Addison, Windsor, and Windham counties.”
Active warrants
State police say Triolo currently has active arrest warrants from Texas for parole violation and New York for robbery with a handgun. The robbery took place in April 30 in Queensbury, N.Y.
Charges related to crimes in Vermont haven't yet been filed as of press time, but are forthcoming.
State police say the investigation into the officer-involved shooting is ongoing and is being led by the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, in consultation with the Windham County State's Attorney. Upon completion of the investigation, the case will be reviewed independently by the Windham County State's Attorney and the Vermont Attorney General's Office, as is customary for police shootings in Vermont.
A news release by Brattleboro Police Chief Michael Fitzgerald on May 5 said none of his officers was seriously injured during the incident, and that state police have taken over the case “to increase the independence of the investigation and ensure a fair and impartial investigation occurs.”
“The three officers that fired their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave,” Fitzgerald wrote. “This standard procedure exists in order to allow those officers to manage and work through the stress that is involved with such an incident and to facilitate their mental and physical health.”