The Vermont Attorney General’s Office will not prosecute a Vermont State Police trooper in connection with an an officer-involved shooting in January that wounded an Arlington man.
Police said Matthew Novick shot at troopers during a standoff in January at his Arlington residence. The troopers returned fire. Novick suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and was taken to Albany Medical Center in New York for treatment, and later released.
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office said in a statement it would not prosecute Trooper Raymond Witkowski, who discharged his firearm in the standoff with Novick.
In reaching its decision, the attorney general’s office said it reviewed an investigation into the shooting conducted by Vermont State Police.
Novick has since been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault with a weapon in connection with the standoff. He has pleaded not guilty to the offenses and was ordered held without bail.
“To ensure Mr. Novick’s right to a fair trial, and in accordance with the Vermont Rules of
Professional Conduct, the Attorney General’s Office will not, at this time, comment further on the specific finding or its review,” the release issued Wednesday stated.
“This Office can release additional information related to this decision at such time that the criminal charges pending against Mr. Novick are resolved.”
Typically, when the Attorney General’s Office announces its finding in an officer-involved shooting case, the release includes the findings of a similar review by the county attorney in jurisdiction where the shooting took place.
In this case, the release does not state a finding by the Bennington County State’s Attorney office into the shooting.
The Bennington County State’s Attorney is the office that is prosecuting Novick.
Calls late Wednesday afternoon to the attorney general’s office and to Bennington State’s Attorney Erica Marthage were not immediately returned.
Adam Silverman, a Vermont State Police spokesperson, said in an email Wednesday that Witkowski has returned to full duty as a result of the attorney general’s finding.
“As per standard protocol, he was on administrative leave for at least five days following the shooting,” Silverman wrote, “and then returned to administrative duty while the investigation was pending.”
