Rhode Island man arraigned on 17 charges, including attempted murder of 3 Vermont state troopers
Brenden Sackal of Rhode Island pleaded not guilty in Caledonia/Essex County Superior criminal court Thursday morning to 17 charges, including three counts of attempted aggravated murder, related to last month’s shootout with state police in Burke.
Brenden Sackal, who was injured in the July 14 firefight, was ordered by Judge Benjamin Battles to be held without bail in the brief court appearance.
Sackal
was extradited to Vermont earlier this week after his discharge from
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, according
to a statement from Vermont State Police on Wednesday.
On Thursday afternoon, the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced in a press release that a federal grand jury had separately returned an indictment of Sackal on a charge of possessing an unregistered machine gun. Sackal’s federal arraignment date has not yet been released.
In addition to charges of attempted aggravated murder at the state level, Sackal faces three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and multiple weapons charges.
According to an affidavit by Detective Sgt. James Vooris, body camera footage shows Sackal shooting at Troopers Jesse Nash and Richard Berlandy, and Sgt. Joshua Mikkola, with “rapid succession gunfire.”
As the troopers returned fire, Sackal is seen “falling to the ground,” and continuing to fire at the officers before eventually surrendering, Vooris wrote. State police say Sackal was shot several times during the encounter, but that none of the troopers was injured.
Sackal also faces two counts of aggravated assault with a weapon. The affidavit alleges that he intentionally crashed his car into two police vehicles.
U.S. Border Patrol Special Agent John Sue said the pursuit of Sackal began after the defendant failed to obey a traffic stop in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, according to Vooris’ affidavit. Prior to the events of July 14, Sackal was wanted in Rhode Island for charges related to alleged illegal possession of high-capacity firearm magazines, which resulted in his initial attempted vehicle stop by border patrol. He now faces seven counts of similar weapons charges in Vermont.
A single charge of attempted aggravated murder can carry a life sentence without the possibility of parole in Vermont. A count of aggravated assault with a weapon can carry up to 15 years in prison.
A weight of evidence hearing is expected to take place within the next month.
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