A 33-year-old Florida man died Wednesday after he was shot in the chest by a police officer in Rutland, Vermont State Police said.
Police have identified the victim as Jonathan Daniel Mansilla, 33, of Coral Gables, Florida, whose primary residence is Miami. An autopsy Thursday determined the death was a homicide, according to a state police press release.
The officer who shot Mansilla has been identified as Cpl. Christopher A. Rose, a five-year veteran of the Rutland City Police Department. He has been placed on leave.
The events that led to the shooting in a McDonald’s on Route 7 started with a hit-and-run car crash involving Mansilla. The crash occurred around 1:15 p.m. in the parking lot of a Goodwill store at 230 N. Main St.
While police kept a watch out for Mansilla’s black 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, the victim of the hit-and-run spotted the car in Wallingford and alerted a nearby member of the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department, police said.
Lt. Kevin Geno spotted the suspect’s car driving north on U.S. Route 7 in Clarendon and stopped it at about 2:15 p.m. The driver, later identified as Mansilla, fled and Geno pursued until he lost sight of the car.
As the sheriff’s department continued the search, Lt. James Bennick saw the car in a driveway on North Shrewsbury Road. Mansilla refused to follow commands and fled again, police said.
Deputies then abandoned the chase deciding it had become too dangerous. The car was seen turning onto Allen Street and heading west toward Route 7, also known as South Main Street in Rutland. The car then crashed into the back of a UPS truck on Allen Street, adjacent to the McDonald’s, police said.
This happened as Rutland City and Rutland Town police departments were responding to the search. Mansilla ran from the crash into the McDonald’s and Rose chased him into the restaurant, police said.
“An altercation ensued between Mansilla and Cpl. Rose, at which time the officer discharged his duty weapon. Mansilla was struck and died of his injuries inside the McDonald’s,” according to the report.
Vermont State Police continue to investigate the fatal shooting. Police said they won’t release more information until officials are done interviewing Cpl. Rose and witnesses. The case will then be handed over to the Attorney General’s Office and the Bennington County State’s Attorney’s Office for independent reviews. The Rutland County State’s Attorney’s Office has recused itself from the case, according to the report.
