Suspect in Shooting of Vt. Police Officer Caught after Manhunt

The Vermont State Police found the suspect sought for the shooting of a St. Johnsbury police officer, in which part of the search had included Hoosick Falls.

Police said early Sunday morning they had arrested Scott Mason, 38, of St. Johnsbury, Vt. around 2 a.m. after finding him at a house next door to the location where a St. Johnsbury Police Department captain was shot and seriously wounded Friday.

On Saturday, state and local police had received a tip about Mason possibly hiding out at a home on Mechanic Street and followed up with an investigation at 4:40 a.m. Saturday, according to Hoosick Falls police. There was no sign of him at that residence.

Vermont State Police said they obtained a search warrant for 251 Portland St. in St. Johnsbury just after midnight Sunday, and raided it with various tactical divisions including the Windsor County Sheriff's Department and St. Johnsbury police.

Prior to Mason being found, law enforcement was offering up to a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's arrest and conviction. It's unclear how police learned of Mason's alleged hiding place.

Mason is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer resulting in serious bodily injury after St. Johnsbury Police Department Capt. Jason Gray was shot and seriously wounded Friday afternoon allegedly at Mason's residence on Portland Street.

Police said Gray was responding to Mason's apartment after receiving a report of a domestic violence incident. When he arrived, Gray was shot "at least one time," according to Vermont State Police. He was airlifted for treatment at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he was listed as being in a "serious but stable" condition as of Saturday, according to Vermont State Police.

Prior to the shooting, Mason was also wanted on an arrest warrant for failure to appear in court on 26 counts of forgery, according to Vermont State Police.

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