BURKE, Vt. (WCAX) – A nearly 60-mile police chase ended in an officer-involved shooting in the Northeast Kingdom that left a Rhode Island man critically injured.
Vermont State Police say it happened Sunday evening when they were notified that a wanted Rhode Island man may be headed north. Troopers say there was an arrest warrant out for Brendan Sackal, 30, of Hopkinton, Rhode Island, for possession of high-capacity firearm magazines.
He was stopped in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, but police say he drove away from that stop, leading officers on a nearly 60-mile chase.
Near the Canadian border, troopers say the border patrol used spike strips to try to stop Sackal due to concerns he would cross the border.
“They were concerned it was going to enter into Canada, it was very close to the entry port,” Vt. State Police Maj. Dan Trudeau said.
Sackal didn’t cross the border but kept going, and police followed him all the way to Pinkham Road in Burke.
State police say they tried to stop him and he hit two cruisers and lost control.
During an attempted arrest, police say Sackal fired a gun at troopers, and two returned fire, injuring him.
“Sackal exited his vehicle, there was an exchange of gunfire, which he started first, troopers followed. Sackal was injured, he was given aid and taken into custody,” Trudeau said.
Sackal was in critical condition being treated for injuries that were not life-threatening at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center on Monday.
State police have not yet identified the troopers involved, but we know they are now on paid leave during the investigation.