Vermont Attorney General finds state troopers justified in non-fatal shooting of RI man

LEBANON, N.H. (WLNE) — The Vermont Attorney General’s Office announced that officers were justified in using force in a shooting incident that injured a Rhode Island man over the summer.

Brenden Sackal, 30, of Rockville, was taken into custody on August 5 after a fugitive from justice warrant was issued in Vermont for a July 14 shooting incident, according to New Hampshire State Police.

Sackal’s charges include multiple counts of attempted aggravated murder, attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment, possession of large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, gross negligent operation and attempting to elude law enforcement.

On July 14, police in Rhode Island notified northern New Hampshire and Vermont law enforcement that they believed Sackal was in the region and was wanted on illegal high-capacity firearms magazine charges.

Police were unable to locate Sackal after a search warrant was executed at his home on July 12.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent saw Sackal’s truck in Pittsburg, NH on the evening of July 14 and pulled him over.

Sackal then drove off and was followed into Canaan, VT where he continued to drive at a low rate of speed after police used a tire deflation device on his truck.

Sackal’s vehicle then collided with two Vermont State Police cruisers and lost control in Burke, VT.

Sackal then allegedly fire a weapon at troopers, who returned fire, injuring Sackal.

He was taken into custody and troopers immediately began rendering first aid until rescue crews arrived.

Sackal was initially treated for a gun shot wound to the chest in an area hospital, and was transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.

He was transported to a the Grafton County Jail in North Haverhill, NH and will be arraigned August 7 at Haverhill District Court.

According to Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, based on the facts and circumstances of the incident, “the use of force” by the officers who returned fire at Sackal was “reasonable and justified.”

“Under the totality of the circumstances, Sergeant Mikkola and Trooper Berlandy reasonably believed that they, and other officers, were in imminent danger of being killed or suffering great bodily harm at the hands of Mr. Sackal, and that they used necessary and appropriate force to defend themselves and others,” a release stated.

“In reaching this decision, the Attorney General’s Office reviewed all materials provided by the Vermont State Police, who conducted the investigation,” the release said.

Clark said she would decline prosecuting the officers involved in the incident.