Vermont News First
WILLISTON — A Williston Police officer shot a motorist after he was possibly brushed by a car during a traffic call on Vermont 2A (St. George Road) early Thursday morning, Vermont News First has been told.
Williston Officer Ethan Favreau was identified as the shooter, according to multiple sources familiar with the shooting, but were not authorized to speak about the case.
The name of the wounded motorist, who was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, was not immediately released by Williston or the Vermont State Police, which is leading the investigation.
The motorist was shot in the hip and was eventually discharged from the hospital, police said.
Both Williston and Vermont State Police promised in their respective news releases Thursday morning that they would release the name of the wounded man after his relatives were notified.
However, as of a late afternoon press conference the plan was to continue to withhold the name until sometime on Friday, police said.
The involved officer also was taken to the Burlington hospital, where he was examined for possible injuries and released, state police said. He reportedly claimed a car had made contact with him.
Favreau is fulltime certified officer and a 7-year veteran with Williston Police, according to the department. He had previously served with the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office. Favreau is a graduate of Clinton Community College where he majored in criminal justice.
Williston and state police declined to confirm Favreau was involved.
While names of police officers involved in shootings are public records, as a professional courtesy to those officers, Vermont State Police withholds their names for at least 24 hours.
Williston Police Chief Brian LaBarge said town police were dispatched to a roadway hazard on St. George Road between Butternut Road and Old Creamery Road about 4:40 a.m.
Vermont News First learned there was some kind of utility line down. The driver, who was shot, reportedly was attempting to maneuver around the scene.
The chief declined to discuss the intensity of the lighting from the police cruisers at the dark scene. Police cruisers often have multiple levels of adjustable lighting for scenes for officers to select from to avoid the high-level illumination that can be blinding for passing motorists.
“During this incident a Williston Police officer discharged his firearm striking an individual,” the chief said in a news release. LaBarge, who has been on the job for about two months, did not elaborate at the brief press conference.
LaBarge is a former deputy police chief in Burlington, which has seen its share of officer-involved shootings. Officials were hard pressed Thursday to remember the last police shooting in Williston.
The chief said during the 6-minute news conference that two town patrol officers have been placed on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.
While the police officers names are public record by Vermont law, LaBarge would not disclose their identities.
A second Williston patrol officer also had responded to the downed utility line. Once the report of shots fired was aired, additional police from nearby agencies also responded.
The Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, along with detectives and troopers from the uniform division of state police are part of the investigation. Also the Crime Scene Search Team was called in to comb the area for clues and drones were used.
The investigating officers will need to go through body and dashboard camera video.
At the conclusion of its investigation, state police are expected to provide reports to the offices of the Vermont Attorney General and the Chittenden County State’s Attorney, unless Sarah George refers it to another county prosecutor.
The two offices are expected to conduct independent reviews of any legal justification for the use of force, but the tradition is to announce their findings at the same time in a joint news release.
Anyone with information that could assist in this investigation is asked to call the state police barracks in Williston at (802) 878-7111.