No fees for Burlington cop in deadly 2022 officer-involved taking pictures

A Burlington police officer was cleared of wrongdoing following a 2022 incident during which she shot and killed a person who charged her with a knife, Middlesex District Legal professional Marian Ryan’s workplace introduced Friday. 

Investigators mentioned Officer Aurise Miedico shot 42-year-old Paul Courtemanche after he got here at her wielding a big knife as she responded to a 911 name. Instantly earlier than she fired the deadly shot, one other officer fired a less-than-lethal shot at Courtemanche, however was unable to subdue him, in line with officers.

“Any affordable regulation enforcement officer in the identical place would moderately imagine that she was in imminent hazard of being severely injured or killed,” Choose Shelby M. Smith mentioned in latest inquest findings. “At that second no affordable different existed, aside from the usage of lethal pressure.”

In line with investigators, on Jan. 23, 2022, simply after midday, Burlington police bought a 911 name from Courtemanche saying he had a knife and that “he didn’t know the way he was feeling.” He advised the dispatcher that he was “uncertain how he would reply” when officers arrived and that he wouldn’t put the knife down. Courtemanche remained on the cellphone all through the incident, in line with officers. 

Native police and hearth officers responded to Lord Baron Flats on Baron Park Lane together with Officers Robert Reyes and Officer Miedico, who had been staging outdoors close to their cruisers when Courtemanche, nonetheless on the cellphone, got here outdoors towards the 2 officers wielding a 10-inch knife over his head. 

Each officers ordered Courtemanche to place the knife down, however Courtemanche continued to cost at them. Officer Reyes fired the non-lethal shot at Courtemanche, which struck him, however he saved advancing towards Officer Miedico.  

Officer Miedico tried to maneuver away from Courtemanche, however she tripped and fell backward onto the bottom, in line with authorities. Police mentioned Courtemanche was positioned over Miedico as she fell, nonetheless wielding the knife. At that time, Officer Miedico fired her weapon twice, putting and killing Courtemanche, in line with officers.

The court docket’s inquest began on Jan. 11, 2023, and completed two days later. The court docket heard testimony from 10 witnesses and reviewed 60 reveals. 

District Legal professional Ryan’s workplace started requesting inquests into deadly officer-involved shootings beginning in December 2018 with the purpose of making certain a whole and unbiased evaluation of such incidents.