NH AG Rules Fatal Shooting By Mass. Troopers in Newton, NH, Was Justified

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Read full AG report here

By News release

Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and State Police Colonel Christopher J. Wagner announce that the attached report has been completed regarding the investigation into the officer involved shooting death of Michael R. Brown, 40, of Presque Isle, Maine, that occurred in Newton, New Hampshire, on June 15, 2017.

The report concludes that based on all the facts and circumstances, Massachusetts State Troopers Michael Caranfa, Robert Holland, George Katsarakes and Daniel Purtell were each justified in their use of deadly force when each Trooper discharged his firearm at Brown.

Portion of the AG report. Full report here

The Troopers who had been pursuing Mr. Brown got out of their cruisers, with their
weapons drawn. Trooper Robert Holland shouted at Mr. Brown and told him to show his hands. Mr. Brown did not shut off the truck, did not step out of the truck, or in any way indicate that he was surrendering. Instead, Mr. Brown revved the truck’s motor and accelerated forward, toward several Troopers who were outside their cruisers. As Mr. Brown accelerated forward, Troopers Michael Caranfa, Robert Holland, George Katsarakes, and Daniel Purtell, shot at Mr. Brown.

As recounted in more detail later in this report, each Trooper articulated his own reasons for firing at Mr. Brown. Those reasons are summarized as follows:

*Trooper Caranfa fired because he saw Mr. Brown put his right hand straight out toward the passenger side window. He believed Mr. Brown was going to shoot him or hit him with his vehicle, based on the facts that Mr. Brown had already fired gunshots and had driven erratically for miles.

*Trooper Holland fired because he believed that Mr. Brown would run him over or shoot him, based on the fact that Mr. Brown had already fired gunshots at the Troopers before.

*Trooper Katsarakes fired because as Mr. Brown drove by him, he saw Mr. Brown with his arm extended holding a silver pistol, which was pointed in Katsarakes’s direction.

*Trooper Purtell fired because Mr. Brown’s truck accelerated straight at him, leading Purtell to believe that Mr. Brown would run him over or shoot at him again. …

Based on all the facts and circumstances known to the Troopers at the time, including the BOLO information, Mr. Brown’s erratic driving, and his attempts to shoot the Troopers both before and after arriving at the intersection of Amesbury Road and Bear Hill Road, it was reasonable for Massachusetts State Troopers Michael Caranfa, Robert Holland, George Katsarakes, and Daniel Purtell, to conclude that they (as well as others in the immediate vicinity) faced an imminent threat of deadly force from Mr. Brown.

Accordingly, Troopers Michael Caranfa, Robert Holland, George Katsarakes, and Daniel Purtell, were all legally justified in using deadly force against Mr. Brown. Therefore, no criminal charges will be filed against the Troopers as a result of the incident that resulted of the death of Michael R. Brown.

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