SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK – An off-duty Vermont sheriff’s deputy was shot multiple times after ignoring commands to drop his weapon. The shooting, which happened at around 3 a.m. on November 20, came after Saratoga Springs Police responded to another shooting.
According to officials, the Vermont deputy was involved in an argument with a group of men. Police say three people allegedly slammed the deputy into a parked car and pushed him to the ground. The deputy then pulled out a gun and exchanged gunfire with a member of the group, who also had a firearm. A woman, possibly the deputy’s girlfriend, suffered a minor wound. One of the men who allegedly attacked the deputy was also injured.
Saratoga Springs officers nearby heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene, where they spotted the deputy holding a handgun. The deputy ignored multiple commands from officers to put down his weapon. The police then proceeded to open fire, striking the deputy multiple times.
“By my count, there are at least eight separate, clear, unequivocal commands to put the gun down and get on the ground,” Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino said at a press conference. “They are all ignored.”
The deputy was transported to a hospital and is listed as in stable condition. State police are also involved in the investigation.