Vermont man arrested in shooting of police officer after 24-hour manhunt | Law Enforcement Today

SAINT JOHNSBURY, VT - A man has been arrested a day after allegedly shooting a captain of the St. Johnsbury, Vermont Police Department.

Scott Mason, 38, was apprehended by law enforcement a day after the shooting of Capt. Jason Gray on Friday, according to Vermont WMUR. The suspect was arrested after law enforcement acted upon a search warrant for a property at 251 Portland Street in St. Johnsbury.

St. Johnsbury police had been responding to a domestic violence 911 call in the vicinity of an apartment building on Friday, when Gray took fire from an individual believed to be on the second floor of the building in question. Gray, a twenty-five year veteran of the police department, is receiving medical treatment at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital. Major David Peterson of the Vermont State Police indicated that Gray's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Mason allegedly announced his presence to law enforcement officers arriving at the scene on Sinday, becoming combative during his arrest. Peterson  indicated that Mason didn't come quietly, and even damaged some tactical equipment of the agency.



Students at a nearby high school had been placed under lockdown as a result of the manhunt over the weekend. Authorities warned members of the public against approaching Mason during the manhunt, describing him as armed and dangerous and urging them to contact authorities, should he be detected. Some members of the community speculated that Mason had been fleeing towards New Hampshire in the aftermath of the shooting.

The St. Johnsbury Police Department indicated in a statement that "Captain Gray remains strong as always, and is currently stable. We continue to support his and our family during this time."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police respectively offered $25,000 rewards for any individual who aided authorities in securing Mason's capture. Both state and federal officials were involved in a manhunt for Mason after the shooting on Friday night.

Mason is also facing forgery charges, and a warrant for his arrest stemming from a court appearance he allegedly missed. Neither charge is related to the shooting. He faces charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer resulting in serious bodily injury and attempted second-degree murder in connection to the shooting of Gray.

The defendant is set to be arraigned on criminal charges on Monday afternoon, and it's unclear how he intends to plead in response to the charges.