In the autumn of 2013, a Burlington, Vermont resident named Wayne Brunette, a 49-year-old Caucasian male, died after being shot by a police officer on November 6th. The events leading to this fatal encounter began when Brunette's mother called the police for assistance, reporting that her son was behaving erratically and destroying property.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Brunette brandishing a shovel.
According to police accounts, he advanced towards them in a threatening manner and did not comply with orders to drop the implement. In response to the perceived threat, Corporal Ethan Thibault, a 12-year veteran of the Burlington Police Department, fired his weapon, striking Brunette. Brunette was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other officer present at the scene was Corporal Brent Navari, a 10-year veteran. Both officers were placed on administrative leave following the incident, which was standard procedure.
The shooting was investigated by the Vermont State Police and reviewed by the Vermont Attorney General's Office, which ultimately determined that the shooting was justified and legally sound. No criminal charges were filed against Officer Thibault. Following this decision, Thibault returned to his duties with the police department.
Despite the legal ruling, the family of Wayne Brunette filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Burlington in 2015. The lawsuit alleged that the city failed to properly accommodate Brunette's mental health issues. While a court cleared the two officers of wrongdoing, it did maintain that the city had a responsibility to reasonably accommodate Brunette's mental disability. In 2019, the city of Burlington reached a settlement with Brunette's estate for $270,000, bringing a close to the legal chapter of this tragic event.
