{"id":630753,"date":"2025-09-05T16:48:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T20:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/?p=630753"},"modified":"2025-09-05T16:48:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T20:48:30","slug":"witnesses-police-fatally-shot-man-in-springfield-during-operation-targeting-someone-else","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2025\/09\/05\/witnesses-police-fatally-shot-man-in-springfield-during-operation-targeting-someone-else\/","title":{"rendered":"Witnesses: Police fatally shot man in Springfield during operation targeting someone else"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Julie Morse, of Claremont, New Hampshire, signs a memorial for her friend James Crary in the driveway where he was shot and killed by police officers on Valley Street in Springfield on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Photo by Alex Driehaus\/Valley News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This story by John Lippman <\/em>was first published<\/em><\/a> by the Valley News on Sept. 4.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Crary. Photo courtesy of Julie Morse via the Valley News\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

SPRINGFIELD \u2014 The 36-year-old man who was shot to death by police<\/a> last month appears to have gotten caught up in an operation that was targeting another man for arrest, according to people who were at the address when the shooting occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police claim that, on the evening of Aug. 21, James Crary was in a vehicle when he allegedly \u201caccelerated toward officers\u201d who were \u201coutside their vehicles\u201d during a police response at 78 Valley St. Officers then opened fire, striking Crary multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Vermont State Police said in a press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The circumstances of Crary\u2019s death are now under investigation by the Vermont State Police, which was not involved in the \u201cunderlying operation\u201d that led to the shooting. The two police officers who fired their weapons \u2014 Springfield police officer Vincent Franchi and Windsor County Sheriff\u2019s deputy Bryan Jalava \u2014 have been placed on paid leave and are cooperating with the investigation, according to police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In interviews, people who said they were present at the time of the shooting described the aftermath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe police said, \u2018We weren\u2019t even here for James Crary,\u2019\u201d said Khristal Blanchard, a resident at 78 Valley St., who witnessed part of the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Blanchard, police told her they had come to apprehend a suspect in a \u201chostage and kidnapping situation\u201d earlier that day in Springfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Springfield police and Windsor sheriff deputies \u2014 officials have not disclosed how many \u2014 responded to the Valley Street address shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 \u201cas part of an open investigation,\u201d Vermont State Police said in the release. When they arrived, \u201cthey encountered a man\u201d \u2014 later identified as Crary \u2014 \u201cin a vehicle outside the home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police then opened fire at Crary. The Chief Medical Examiner\u2019s Office in Burlington conducted an autopsy and concluded Crary died from \u201cgunshot wounds to the head,\u201d according to Vermont State Police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investigators are reviewing cruiser and body cam video footage of the incident, including \u201cthird party\u201d video of the incident, said Vermont State Police spokesperson Adam Silverman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Springfield Police Chief Jeffrey Burnham referred questions about the police operation and shooting to state police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Officers who shot and killed man in Springfield identified<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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