BURLINGTON — The Vermont State Police have completed an investigation into a deadly shooting by officers that took place last month during a drug raid, a spokesman said Wednesday.
Officers led by Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed a no-knock search warrant on the Elmwood Avenue apartment of Kenneth Stephens, 56, a suspected drug dealer with a violent criminal past.
The decision to use a warrant that didn’t require police to knock and announce their presence has drawn criticism from elected officials and the Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Police say that when they broke down Stephens’ door with a battering ram he shouted, “Who wants to die?” before pointing a muzzleloader rifle at officers who burst into his home. A state trooper and a DEA agent fired 13 times, killing Stephens.
At least one of the .233-caliber bullets the officers fired left Stephens’ apartment and reportedly entered an occupied neighboring apartment.
State police turned the results of their investigation over to the Chittenden County state’s attorney and the attorney general, who will review the incident to see if there was any wrongdoing by officers in the raid.
“We’ve received the report and we’re reviewing it,” said State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan on Wednesday.
Donovan said his review of the investigation will focus on whether the use of force was justified. A review of the tactics used in the raid “would not be the primary focus at this stage,” he said but added, “it’s certainly part of the conversation.”
