Crime

RI man faces multiple charges after VT shootout

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Photo from Hopkinton, RI, Police Department

by Timothy Page, from information released by Vermont State Police

A Rhode Island man, Brenden Sackal, 30, of Hopkinton, is facing over a dozen charges, including attempted aggravated murder, following a shootout on Vermont Route 114 in Burke on Sunday, July 14. If convicted, Sackal could face a mandatory life sentence without parole.

A judge in Caledonia County issued an arrest warrant for Sackal on Tuesday afternoon. The charges include three counts of attempted aggravated murder and three counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, linked to Sackal shooting at three Vermont State Police troopers. Additionally, Sackal faces two counts of aggravated assault with a weapon for driving his pickup truck into two state police cruisers, grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude law enforcement, and seven counts of possessing a large-capacity ammunition feeding device.

Sackal is currently in critical but stable condition at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. He was shot multiple times by Vermont State Police troopers after he fired at them following a crash during his attempted arrest.

The Vermont State Police, in collaboration with the Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s Office, continues to investigate the incident. Sackal is expected to be extradited to Vermont once he is released from medical care.

The Vermont State Police has identified the two troopers who fired their weapons during the incident as Sgt. Joshua Mikkola and Trooper Richard Berlandy, both from the Derby Barracks. Sgt. Mikkola has been with the state police since 2016 and was promoted to sergeant in 2021, while Trooper Berlandy joined in 2019. Both have been placed on paid relief-from-duty status, a standard procedure following a critical incident.

The situation began on Sunday evening when Rhode Island police informed authorities in northern New Hampshire and Vermont that Sackal was believed to be in the area and was wanted on charges related to illegal high-capacity firearm magazines. Sackal had evaded capture during a search at his home on July 12.

Sackal was spotted by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, who initiated a traffic stop. Sackal briefly stopped before fleeing, leading agents on a chase through Stewartstown, New Hampshire, and into Canaan, Vermont. U.S. Customs and Border Protection deployed a tire-deflation device on Sackal’s truck near the Canadian border, forcing him to continue driving on flat tires and rims.

Vermont state troopers joined the pursuit in Morgan and followed Sackal with lights and sirens activated. In Burke, Sackal collided with two VSP cruisers, lost control, and came to a stop near Pinkham Road. During the arrest attempt, Sackal fired at the troopers, who returned fire, injuring him. Sackal was taken into custody and received first aid from the troopers until rescue crews arrived. No troopers or other individuals were injured in the exchange.

The Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be reviewed by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office and the relevant county’s State’s Attorney’s Office.

The Vermont State Police will continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses. Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is encouraged to contact the state police barracks in Derby or submit an anonymous tip online.


Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Categories: Crime

5 replies »

  1. More trash up from the cities, so he sounds like a habitual offender, so when he gets
    or ” If ” convicted, Mr.Sackal could face a mandatory ” life sentence ” without parole, now we’re talking…… let’s see if it comes to fruition !!!

    Vermont is like the Titanic, it’s headed to the bottom.

    • Not in this state! *sighs* We need to give him a mental evaluation and be compassionate. I would like to see him hang myself!

  2. Some people like this guy should be classified as sub human and dealt as such. Russia has a place for such people (and unfortunately political people). That is the welfare status for these criminals form out of state. Life at hard labor. Sheriff Joe Arpaio of AZ and his tent city, pink cloths and bologna sandwiches had it right until Libs voted him out of office. Sanders wife, the great one, confronted Sheriff Joe complaining about the conditions, sticking her nose in places where it should be chopped off. She’s the same one that bankrupt a college in Burlington and got $300,000 severance.

    But for criminals like the RI derelict Joe’s conditions would be very mild, send him to a Russia Gulag system with forced labor and mouse soup with carrots, or a Mexican prison. Saves taxpayer expense.

  3. could it be posable to get the complete criminal file of this person//// there must be more to this story than high capacity magazines//// vermonters have many high capacity magazines and a lot of ammo/// now, are they all crooks///

  4. I’m absolutely certain in this radical atmosphere the Dems will come out soon with another attempt to take away your guns, ammo, and dissolve the 2nd amendment here in Vermont. How else will the Marxists have complete control, power over the electorate??? We will have no power and they have it all. Vote Republican across the board!!!!