STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE
Vermont State Police arrests suspects
in connection with efforts to aid fugitive following shooting of St. Johnsbury
police captain
ST. JOHNSBURY, Vermont (Friday, Jan. 17, 2025) — The Vermont
State Police continues its investigation into the Dec. 13, 2024, shooting of
St. Johnsbury Police Department Capt. Jason Gray and the subsequent effort to
evade capture by suspect Scott Mason.
As a result of that ongoing investigation, on Friday, Jan.
17, 2025, state police detectives arrested the following individuals:
- Patrice
Mason, 36, of St. Johnsbury: Charges
of accessory aiding in the commission of a felony, and negligent storage
of firearms resulting in serious bodily injury. Jailed for lack of $10,000
bail at the Northeast Correctional Complex.
- Jonathan
Russell, 45, of St. Johnsbury: Charge of
accessory after the fact. Jailed for lack of $1,000 bail at the Northeast
Correctional Complex.
- Tisa
Russell, 45, of St. Johnsbury: Charge of
accessory after the fact. Released on a citation.
- William
Drew, 44, of St. Johnsbury: Charge of accessory after the
fact. Released on a citation.
- Amber
Labrecque, 35, of St. Johnsbury: Charge
of accessory after the fact. Released on a citation.
All suspects except Labrecque are expected to appear for
arraignment at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Criminal Division of Vermont
Superior Court in St. Johnsbury. Labrecque’s arraignment is scheduled for 8:30
a.m. Feb. 10.
The investigation into this incident remains open and active,
and an additional arrest is expected.
No additional details are available at this time. Affidavits
of probable cause will be filed with the court and made public following
arraignments. Members of the media should call the criminal court clerk’s
office to confirm details of the hearings.
***Update No. 10, 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30,
2024***
The Vermont State Police investigation into the shooting of
St. Johnsbury Police Department Capt. Jason Gray remains open and active.
Evidence collected at the scene indicates Capt. Gray fired
his duty weapon during the encounter at a Portland Street apartment Friday,
Dec. 13, 2024, in which he was shot and seriously injured by Scott Mason.
Following standard protocols for police-involved shootings,
upon completion of the investigation VSP will turn over the case to the Vermont
Attorney General’s Office and the relevant State’s Attorney’s Office for
independent reviews of Capt. Gray’s use of force. The Caledonia County State’s
Attorney’s Office, which is leading the prosecution of Mason, has recused
itself from reviewing the officer-involved shooting; that review will be
conducted by the Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Detectives interviewed Capt. Gray on Monday, Dec. 30. He is
fully cooperating with the investigation.
No additional information is currently available. The state
police will continue to provide updates throughout the investigation.
***Update No. 9, 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 15,
2024***
Members of the Vermont State Police and the St. Johnsbury
Police Department will hold a media availability at 2 p.m. today, Sunday, Dec.
15, to discuss this case.
The availability will take place at the St. Johnsbury Welcome
Center, located at 51 Depot Square.
***Update No. 8, 2:50 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024***
The Vermont State Police arrested shooting suspect Scott
Mason, 38, of St. Johnsbury early Sunday morning, Dec. 15, 2024.
Police took Mason into custody at about 2 a.m. after locating
him inside a residence at 251 Portland St., the house next door to the location
where St. Johnsbury Police Department Capt. Jason Gray was shot and seriously
wounded Friday afternoon.
Shortly after midnight, the state police obtained a search
warrant for 251 Portland St. and converged on the residence. The response
involved members of the Vermont State Police Field Force and Criminal
divisions, the Tactical Services Unit, K-9 Unit, Narcotics Investigation Unit,
and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program. Assisting agencies included the St.
Johnsbury Police Department, the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles
Enforcement & Safety Division, the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department, and
CALEX Ambulance Service.
Mason was brought to the state police barracks in St.
Johnsbury for processing, after which he will be transported to jail on an
arrest warrant for charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated
assault on a law-enforcement officer resulting in serious bodily injury. He is
also facing other unrelated charges.
The Vermont State Police thanks all assisting police and
first-response agencies, municipal officials in St. Johnsbury, and members of
the public for their support, patience and tips during this investigation.
No additional details are available at this time. VSP will
provide further information when possible.
***Update No. 7, 9:25 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14,
2024***
Saturday night, Dec. 14, 2024, the FBI’s Albany Field Office
announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest
and conviction of Scott Mason in connection with the Friday shooting of St.
Johnsbury Police Department Capt. Jason Gray.
This reward is separate from the previously announced $25,000
from the town of St. Johnsbury.
Mason, 38, is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing
around 220 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is believed to have fled
on foot from the Portland Street residence where the shooting took place and
was last seen wearing gray sweatpants and a gray hoodie.
People may submit tips to the FBI by calling 800-CALL-FBI
(800-225-5324). More information about the FBI’s reward is available on the agency’s website and social media pages including Facebook and X. The FBI wanted poster is attached
to this release.
The public also may submit tips directly to the Vermont State
Police by:
- Calling
VSP’s barracks in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111.
- Texting
the keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES).
- Calling
844-84-VTIPS.
- Visiting
the website https://vtips.us.
***Update No. 6, 6:10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14,
2024***
The town of St. Johnsbury is offering a $25,000 reward for
information that leads to the apprehension of Scott Mason, the 38-year-old
suspect in the shooting of local police department Capt. Jason Gray.
The reward was authorized by the St. Johnsbury Selectboard at
the request of Police Chief Joel Pierce and with the support of Town Manager
Chad Whitehead.
Search efforts continued through the day Saturday, Dec. 14,
2024, and remain ongoing. Mason is still at large.
The Vermont State Police and Chief Pierce urge the public to
take reasonable precautions while the manhunt for Mason remains active.
Community members are encouraged to remain vigilant, lock doors, secure
belongings and vehicles, and stay aware of their surroundings, but they do not
need to curtail day-to-day activities. People should practice the “see
something, say something” approach and report anything suspicious to the police
right away. Anyone who sees Mason should call 911.
The town of St. Johnsbury issued the following statement:
“Capt. Jason Gray is stable at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical
Center. He has sustained severe injuries, and we have him, his family and
friends in our hearts as he recovers from this assault. We are also thinking of
the rest of the police department as well as our dispatchers and first
responders who have been affected by this traumatic event. We are committed to
supporting all efforts to provide them the support they need to recover.
“The Vermont State Police has taken the lead in the manhunt
and investigation. We ask the public to rely on correspondence and news
releases from VSP as the sole source of accurate information. We thank the
Vermont State Police, the Lyndonville Police Department, the Bradford Police
Department, the Caledonia County and Essex County sheriffs’ departments, and
all the other local, state and federal agencies that have provided support here
in St. Johnsbury. Chief Pierce will continue to work with these agencies on
this manhunt and investigation, and to ensure police coverage for the village
while his officers recover.”
VSP continues to request that anyone with tips that could
potentially advance the investigation provide that information via any of the
contact information below:
- Call
VSP’s barracks in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111.
- Text
the keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES).
- Call
844-84-VTIPS.
- Visit
https://vtips.us.
At this time, the Vermont State Police is anticipating a
media availability early Sunday afternoon, Dec. 15, in St. Johnsbury. Further
details will be released Sunday morning.
No further details are currently available.
***Update No. 5, 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14,
2024***
The Vermont State Police is identifying the St. Johnsbury
police officer who was shot and wounded Friday afternoon as Capt. Jason Gray.
Gray, a nearly 25-year veteran of the St. Johnsbury Police
Department, remains at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New
Hampshire. His condition as of early Saturday afternoon was reported to be
serious but stable.
The search for the suspect in Capt. Gray’s shooting,
38-year-old Scott Mason of St. Johnsbury, is active and ongoing. Late Saturday
morning, police closed a section of Portland Street in the vicinity of the
initial incident location to carry out search operations in response to tips
from the public. Those operations did not result in locating Mason, and the
road has reopened.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Mason in connection
with the shooting. He is wanted on charges of attempted second-degree murder
and aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer resulting in serious bodily
injury.
Investigators continue to ask the public to be vigilant and
aware of their surroundings and to take reasonable precautions such as locking
doors. Anyone who sees Mason should immediately call 911. People with
information that might assist investigators can provide tips using any of the
following methods:
- Call
VSP’s barracks in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111.
- Text
the keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES).
- Call
844-84-VTIPS.
- Visit
https://vtips.us.
The Vermont State Police has released two photos of Mason
during the course of the investigation. The most recent photograph that more
closely resembles his current appearance is attached to this release.
VSP will continue to provide updates as the search for Mason
progresses.
***Update No. 4, 9:20 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14,
2024***
Local, county, state and federal agencies continue to search
for shooting suspect Scott Mason, 38, of St. Johnsbury.
Members of the public should expect to see a continued
significant police presence throughout the community.
Investigators request that residents in the area check home
surveillance cameras, doorbell cameras, and the like, and report any possible
sightings or suspicious activity.
Anyone with information that could aid in the search for
Mason should call the Vermont State Police barracks in St. Johnsbury at
802-748-3111. People who wish to submit anonymous tips can do so by texting
keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES), calling 844-84-VTIPS, or visiting https://vtips.us.
No additional updates are available at this time.
***Update No. 3, 12:55 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14,
2024***
The search continues for Scott Mason, 38, of St. Johnsbury,
the suspect in a shooting Friday afternoon that injured a St. Johnsbury police
officer.
The Vermont State Police is working with local, state and
federal law-enforcement partners and has alerted agencies across the state and
across New England to be on the lookout for Mason. The state also issued a Blue
Alert, which can be employed any time a police officer has been killed or
injured in the line of duty, and a dangerous suspect remains at large.
VSP encourages members of the public to be vigilant and take
reasonable precautions, including locking doors to their homes and vehicles and
remaining aware of their surroundings.
Police continue to remind community members to call 911
immediately if they see Mason and not to approach him. He should be considered
armed and dangerous. An additional photo of Mason is included with this
release.
People who wish to submit anonymous tips can do so by texting
keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES), calling 844-84-VTIPS, or visiting https://vtips.us.
Mason is currently wanted on an arrest warrant for failure to
appear on 26 counts of forgery that are unconnected to the shooting. The
warrant is extraditable throughout New England and New York and carries $5,000
bail.
VSP is not publicly identifying the injured officer at this
time. He remains hospitalized at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New
Hampshire and is undergoing treatment. His condition was reported to be stable
as of late Friday night. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The thoughts of all VSP members are with him and his family, and the state
police thanks the community for its outpouring of support.
Roads in the area that were closed in the immediate aftermath
of the incident have been reopened. However, community members should expect to
see a continued law-enforcement presence throughout the area while this
investigation is ongoing.
The state police will continue to provide regular updates as
the case progresses.
***Update No. 2, 9:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024***
The Vermont State Police will hold a brief media availability
to discuss the continuing search for a suspect in the Friday afternoon shooting
of a police officer in St. Johnsbury.
Maj. David Petersen, commander of the Field Force Division,
and Maj. Shawn Loan, commander of the Criminal Division, will provide a
statement at 10:15 p.m. at VSP’s barracks in St. Johnsbury, located at 1068
U.S. Route 5.
The search for 38-year-old Scott Mason remains active and
ongoing. The injured officer continues to receive treatment at Dartmouth
Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
***Update No. 1, 7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024***
The Vermont State Police is seeking a suspect in connection
with the shooting late Friday afternoon of a St. Johnsbury Police Department
officer.
The suspect is identified as Scott Mason, 38, a resident of a
second-floor apartment at 261 Portland St. in St. Johnsbury. Members of the
public should consider Mason to be potentially armed and dangerous. If someone
sees Mason, they should not approach him and instead immediately call 911.
Mason is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing around
220 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. A photograph of Mason is attached
to this release.
The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Friday when St.
Johnsbury police responded to a report of a domestic-violence incident at
Mason’s apartment. Upon arrival, a St. Johnsbury police officer was shot at
least one time and wounded. He was transported by helicopter to Dartmouth
Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, for treatment. His
condition and the extent of his injuries are currently unknown.
VSP will continue to provide information about this
investigation as soon as additional information is available.
***Initial news release, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13,
2024***
The Vermont State Police and other law-enforcement agencies
are responding to an active scene on Portland Street in St. Johnsbury.
An incident was reported at 261 Portland St. shortly after
4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. The incident is contained to this location.
Members of the public will see a significant police presence and should avoid
the area.
No additional information is available at this time. The
Vermont Police will provide updates as the situation unfolds.
