Crime
Milton Shooting Suspect Made Threats to Police and Posted Concerning Messages Online Prior to Ambush
Gunman took his life while barricaded inside home.
UPDATE: A gunman is dead and a veteran Milton Police officer is wounded this evening after public safety agencies responded to a structure fire on Main Street in Milton, officials said.
The gunman, identified as Aaron LaRoche, 38, of Milton is believed to have taken his own life about 11 p.m., about four hours after he ambushed Patrol Sgt. Paul Locke, officials said.
MILTON, VT — Authorities have identified the individual involved in Wednesday evening’s ambush shooting of a Milton police officer as Aaron LaRoche, a 38-year-old Milton resident with a documented history of mental health concerns and prior threats against law enforcement.
LaRoche is alleged to have opened fire on first responders during a public safety operation at a structure fire at 78 Main Street around 7:00 p.m.
The incident left Sergeant Paul Locke, a veteran of the Milton Police Department, wounded.
He was transported by Milton Rescue with a police escort to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he remains under medical care.
Initial reports indicate Sgt. Locke was shot from behind while wearing a bullet-resistant vest.
It is also believed that he sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
Authorities have described his injuries as serious but not life-threatening.
LaRoche, who remains barricaded inside the residence, is known to local law enforcement.
He has a documented history of erratic behavior and has been the subject of multiple online posts that raised red flags among community members and officers.
In the months leading up to the shooting, LaRoche had made several alarming posts on social media platforms, many of which directly tagged Milton Police Department and the Vermont State Police (VSP).
These posts included threats and references to hearing voices, claiming he was under mind control.
The content had been a growing concern for authorities and the public alike.
“This individual had been on our radar due to troubling and threatening behavior online,” a law enforcement official noted. “It’s tragic that those warnings have culminated in violence.”
Following the ambush, the Vermont State Police took command of the active scene.
Multiple agencies are assisting in the ongoing operation, including:
- VSP Major Crime Unit
- Bureau of Criminal Investigations
- Field Force Division
- Tactical Services Unit (SWAT)
- Bomb Squad
- Crisis Negotiation Unit
- Local, county, and federal partners
The situation remains contained to the immediate area around 78 Main Street.
Main Street remains closed between U.S. Route 7 and East/North Road, and officials have urged the public to avoid the area due to heavy police presence and ongoing tactical operations.
VSP’s Victim Services Unit is providing support to Sgt. Locke and his family during this difficult time.
No additional injuries have been reported, and authorities are working to bring the standoff to a peaceful conclusion.
The investigation into LaRoche’s past online behavior and threats is ongoing.
Law enforcement officials are also reviewing whether prior actions could have warranted intervention before the shooting took place.
The Vermont State Police will release more details as they become available.
Media inquiries should be directed to the VSP Public Information Office via email to avoid overwhelming emergency communication channels.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.