This story was updated at 9:25 p.m..
RUTLAND – Prosecutors say four police officers who exchanged gunfire with the son of the former Rutland city mayor, killing him in the downtown shootout following a short pursuit, were justified in their actions.
Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan and Rutland County State’s Attorney Rose Kennedy announced the results of their separate probes into the shooting during a joint press conference Tuesday in Rutland.
Both prosecutors said they found no criminal wrongdoing on behalf of the officers.
“Based on the facts and circumstances and consistent with Vermont law,” Donovan said, “my office has concluded that the actions of the officers were justified and there will be no criminal charges brought against police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Christopher Louras.”
The shootout took place in a downtown Rutland parking lot near the Walmart shopping center on the morning of Oct. 8, killing Christopher G. Louras, 33, the son of former longtime Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras.
Three of the officers involved in the exchange of gunfire with the younger Christopher Louras were Rutland City police officers and a fourth was a member of the Rutland Town police department.
The Rutland City police officers were Cpl. Elias Anderson, Sgt. Kenneth Mosher and Sgt. Adam Lucia. Deputy Chief Ted Washburn of the Rutland Town Police Department was involved in the shootout.
Police said earlier on the morning of the shootout, the younger Louras fired shots into the front entrance of the city’s police station. More than an hour later, according to Donovan, Louras was spotted by officers, leading to a short pursuit and the exchange of fire with the officers.
Police said Louras was armed with a Smith & Wesson M&P-15 rifle.
The body of Louras’ cousin, Nicholas Louras, 34, of Rutland, was found later that same day in Salisbury, about 30 miles north of Rutland. Nicholas Louras is the nephew of both the former Mayor Louras and current Rutland City Mayor David Allaire.
Police have said the shootings were linked, but have not said what prompted them to make that connection other than the two men were cousins.
Donovan said Tuesday that the state police investigation into that shooting remains ongoing, awaiting DNA testing results. He did describe Christopher Louras as a suspect in the shooting of his cousin.
“We want the Vermont State Police to do their job and we want the Vermont Forensic Lab to be able to do their job,” the attorney general said.
“Obviously,” he added, “we understand the public’s interest, but we want to get this right and we want to make sure that law enforcement has the ability to do their job in a thorough way.”
At the press conference Tuesday, Donovan declined to say what role, if any, drugs may have played in the Christopher Louras’ actions pending the outcome of the the ongoing homicide probe in Addison County.
Donovan also did not provide a clear motive for the younger Louras’ actions, though he did call it “tragic” for the Louras family and the Rutland community.
“Christopher G. Louras was in crisis, and I think the facts clearly indicate that,” Donovan said. “This was an incredibly scary situation.”
Other earlier statements had indicated drugs played a role in the shootings.
“It appears that some of this could be drug-related,” Gov. Phil Scott said at his weekly press conference a day after the shootings.
Also, the Louras family, in a statement after the shootings, talked about the toll opioid abuse has had on Vermont
“Our family was filled with love and opportunity, and it did not stop the curse of drugs and its heartbreaking impact,” the statement read. “No one is immune.”
Both prosecutors during the Tuesday press conference provided a detailed account of the incident from the shooting at the city police station to the shootout in the downtown plaza on the morning of Oct. 8, 2019.
Donavan said a man later determined to be the younger Christopher Louras, fired two shots into the front door of the Rutland City Police while behind the wheel of the white 2014 Ford Focus.
Dispatch notified officers to be on the lookout for the vehicle, and an officer spotted the car at 7:06 a.m. at the corner of Washington and Wales streets, not far from the police station, according to Donovan.
Soon after, the attorney general said, Louras drove into the nearby downtown shopping plaza toward Walmart with officers behind him with blue lights on and sirens sounding.
Mosher saw Louras point his rifle out of his vehicle’s window during the pursuit, according to Donovan.
“As the pursuit continued Mr. Louras fired two shots from the Ford Focus before coming to a stop at the train tracks near the Amtrak station,” Donovan said. “Mr. Louras got out of his car and fired further shots in the direction of Sgt. Mosher.”
Mosher, Washburn, Lucia and Anderson all returned fire while taking cover behind their vehicle, the attorney general said.
“Mr. Louras fell to the ground, dropping the AR-15, he then stood up and was on the move again at which point he picked up and began to raise the rifle according to witnesses,” Donovan said. “The officers again fired at Mr. Louras, bringing him to the ground.”
Louras had been shot multiple times, in the arms, legs, abdomen, shoulder and head, the attorney general said.
In total, Donovan said, Louras fired seven shots, including two shots at the police station, two shots at police during the pursuit and three shots as he exited the vehicle near the train tracks.
Kennedy, the Rutland County prosecutor, said the officers fired a total of 38 shots with Mosher firing 13 shots, Anderson firing two shots, Washburn firing 18 times, and Lucia shooting five times.
“The entire event at the plaza, from the time Sgt. Mosher pulled in behind Mr. Louras’ car until Sgt. Mosher can be heard screaming, ‘Hold your fire,’ is the difference between 7:08:19 a.m and 7:09:36 a.m., one minute and 17 seconds,” Kennedy said.
“In that amount of time while being shot at, these officers accessed the situation, responded, and prevented others from being injured or more lives lost,” the prosecutor said. “For that I’m eternally grateful to these officers and thank them for their actions.”
Louras’ rifle was found with a total of 15 cartridges remaining in a 30-cartridge capacity magazine, and on the front seat of his vehicle investigators found two 30-cartridge capacity magazines, with each magazine loaded with 25 cartridges, according to Donovan.
Rutland City Police Chief Brian Kilcullen said the probes by the prosecutors confirm his belief that officers acted appropriately.
“We’re certainly glad this is behind us, and this is only really half the story for the Louras family,” Kilcullen said. “But, for the Rutland Police Department, I think that half is behind us.”
The police chief said he did hear from former Mayor Louras before the press conference, and the onetime city leader asked if the officers were doing OK.
“I think that speaks volumes about the character of Chris Louras, and really the entire Louras family,” Kilcullen said.
Former Mayor Louras did not respond to a message Tuesday seeking comment.
Allaire, Rutland City’s current mayor, also spoke at the press conference Tuesday offering his support “unequivocally” to the officers involved in the shooting.
“Their heroism and bravery undoubtedly saved many, many lives on that awful October morning,” he said. “I can also speak for my family that we all feel the same.”
Allaire also spoke of the impact the case has had on Rutland City.
“Our community was rocked by this event,” he said, “but we have come together.”
