STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

 

 

Reward announced for information leading to capture of suspect in shooting of St. Johnsbury police officer

 

 

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vermont (Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024) — The town of St. Johnsbury is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the apprehension of Scott Mason, the 38-year-old suspect in the shooting of local police department Capt. Jason Gray.

 

The reward was authorized by the St. Johnsbury Selectboard at the request of Police Chief Joel Pierce and with the support of Town Manager Chad Whitehead.

 

Search efforts continued through the day Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, and remain ongoing. Mason is still at large.

 

The Vermont State Police and Chief Pierce urge the public to take reasonable precautions while the manhunt for Mason remains active. Community members are encouraged to remain vigilant, lock doors, secure belongings and vehicles, and stay aware of their surroundings, but they do not need to curtail day-to-day activities. People should practice the "see something, say something" approach and report anything suspicious to the police right away. Anyone who sees Mason should call 911.

 

The town of St. Johnsbury issued the following statement:

 

"Capt. Jason Gray is stable at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He has sustained severe injuries, and we have him, his family and friends in our hearts as he recovers from this assault. We are also thinking of the rest of the police department as well as our dispatchers and first responders who have been affected by this traumatic event. We are committed to supporting all efforts to provide them the support they need to recover.

 

"The Vermont State Police has taken the lead in the manhunt and investigation. We ask the public to rely on correspondence and news releases from VSP as the sole source of accurate information. We thank the Vermont State Police, the Lyndonville Police Department, the Bradford Police Department, the Caledonia County and Essex County sheriffs' departments, and all the other local, state and federal agencies that have provided support here in St. Johnsbury. Chief Pierce will continue to work with these agencies on this manhunt and investigation, and to ensure police coverage for the village while his officers recover."

 

VSP continues to request that anyone with tips that could potentially advance the investigation provide that information via any of the contact information below:

 

·      Call VSP's barracks in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111.

·      Text the keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES).

·      Call 844-84-VTIPS.

·      Visit https://vtips.us.

 

At this time, the Vermont State Police is anticipating a media availability early Sunday afternoon, Dec. 15, in St. Johnsbury. Further details will be released Sunday morning.

 

No further details are currently available.

 

 

***Update No. 5, 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024***

The Vermont State Police is identifying the St. Johnsbury police officer who was shot and wounded Friday afternoon as Capt. Jason Gray.

 

Gray, a nearly 25-year veteran of the St. Johnsbury Police Department, remains at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. His condition as of early Saturday afternoon was reported to be serious but stable.

 

The search for the suspect in Capt. Gray's shooting, 38-year-old Scott Mason of St. Johnsbury, is active and ongoing. Late Saturday morning, police closed a section of Portland Street in the vicinity of the initial incident location to carry out search operations in response to tips from the public. Those operations did not result in locating Mason, and the road has reopened.

 

An arrest warrant has been issued for Mason in connection with the shooting. He is wanted on charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer resulting in serious bodily injury.

 

Investigators continue to ask the public to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings and to take reasonable precautions such as locking doors. Anyone who sees Mason should immediately call 911. People with information that might assist investigators can provide tips using any of the following methods:

 

·      Call VSP's barracks in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111.

·      Text the keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES).

·      Call 844-84-VTIPS.

·      Visit https://vtips.us.

 

The Vermont State Police has released two photos of Mason during the course of the investigation. The most recent photograph that more closely resembles his current appearance is attached to this release.

 

VSP will continue to provide updates as the search for Mason progresses.

 

 

***Update No. 4, 9:20 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024***

Local, county, state and federal agencies continue to search for shooting suspect Scott Mason, 38, of St. Johnsbury.

 

Members of the public should expect to see a continued significant police presence throughout the community.

 

Investigators request that residents in the area check home surveillance cameras, doorbell cameras, and the like, and report any possible sightings or suspicious activity.

 

Anyone with information that could aid in the search for Mason should call the Vermont State Police barracks in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111. People who wish to submit anonymous tips can do so by texting keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES), calling 844-84-VTIPS, or visiting https://vtips.us.

 

No additional updates are available at this time.

 

 

***Update No. 3, 12:55 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024***

The search continues for Scott Mason, 38, of St. Johnsbury, the suspect in a shooting Friday afternoon that injured a St. Johnsbury police officer.

 

The Vermont State Police is working with local, state and federal law-enforcement partners and has alerted agencies across the state and across New England to be on the lookout for Mason. The state also issued a Blue Alert, which can be employed any time a police officer has been killed or injured in the line of duty, and a dangerous suspect remains at large.

 

VSP encourages members of the public to be vigilant and take reasonable precautions, including locking doors to their homes and vehicles and remaining aware of their surroundings.

 

Police continue to remind community members to call 911 immediately if they see Mason and not to approach him. He should be considered armed and dangerous. An additional photo of Mason is included with this release.

 

People who wish to submit anonymous tips can do so by texting keyword VTIPS to 274637 (CRIMES), calling 844-84-VTIPS, or visiting https://vtips.us.

 

Mason is currently wanted on an arrest warrant for failure to appear on 26 counts of forgery that are unconnected to the shooting. The warrant is extraditable throughout New England and New York and carries $5,000 bail.

 

VSP is not publicly identifying the injured officer at this time. He remains hospitalized at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire and is undergoing treatment. His condition was reported to be stable as of late Friday night. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The thoughts of all VSP members are with him and his family, and the state police thanks the community for its outpouring of support.

 

Roads in the area that were closed in the immediate aftermath of the incident have been reopened. However, community members should expect to see a continued law-enforcement presence throughout the area while this investigation is ongoing.

 

The state police will continue to provide regular updates as the case progresses.

 

 

***Update No. 2, 9:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024***

The Vermont State Police will hold a brief media availability to discuss the continuing search for a suspect in the Friday afternoon shooting of a police officer in St. Johnsbury.

 

Maj. David Petersen, commander of the Field Force Division, and Maj. Shawn Loan, commander of the Criminal Division, will provide a statement at 10:15 p.m. at VSP's barracks in St. Johnsbury, located at 1068 U.S. Route 5.

 

The search for 38-year-old Scott Mason remains active and ongoing. The injured officer continues to receive treatment at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

 

 

***Update No. 1, 7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024***

The Vermont State Police is seeking a suspect in connection with the shooting late Friday afternoon of a St. Johnsbury Police Department officer.

 

The suspect is identified as Scott Mason, 38, a resident of a second-floor apartment at 261 Portland St. in St. Johnsbury. Members of the public should consider Mason to be potentially armed and dangerous. If someone sees Mason, they should not approach him and instead immediately call 911.

 

Mason is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing around 220 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. A photograph of Mason is attached to this release.

 

The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Friday when St. Johnsbury police responded to a report of a domestic-violence incident at Mason's apartment. Upon arrival, a St. Johnsbury police officer was shot at least one time and wounded. He was transported by helicopter to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, for treatment. His condition and the extent of his injuries are currently unknown.

 

VSP will continue to provide information about this investigation as soon as additional information is available.

 

 

***Initial news release, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024***

 The Vermont State Police and other law-enforcement agencies are responding to an active scene on Portland Street in St. Johnsbury.

 

An incident was reported at 261 Portland St. shortly after 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. The incident is contained to this location. Members of the public will see a significant police presence and should avoid the area.

 

No additional information is available at this time. The Vermont Police will provide updates as the situation unfolds.

 

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