HANCOCK, Mass. (WWLP) – The person that was killed in an incident involving a Massachusetts State Police Trooper on Saturday has been identified.
According to the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office, 64-year-old Phillip Henault of Hancock has been identified as the individual involved in an incident with a Massachusetts State Police officer that resulted in the officer discharging their weapon.
The preliminary investigation reveals that the incident led to the officer discharging their weapon. The investigation, which includes crime scene analysis, civilian interviews, body and dash camera footage, and 911 recordings, indicates that the Massachusetts State Police officer retreated a significant distance from Mr. Henault during the encounter.
It was determined that Mr. Henault was in possession of multiple knives at the time. Despite the officer’s repeated commands to stop and the identification of the officer as law enforcement, Mr. Henault continued to approach and threatened to kill the officer. The officer discharged their weapon after retreating a lengthy distance.
The investigation into this matter remains ongoing, with District Attorney Shugrue expected to release a final report upon its conclusion.
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