Body Cam of Officer-involved Winooski Shooting Released Video Video

Winooski, Vt. - A Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy will not face criminal charges for a shooting that left a Winooski man dead.



The state released Deputy Nicholas Palmiers' body cam footage from the September shooting.

On September 16th Deputy Nicholas Palmier fired eight shots in less than two seconds, striking Jesse Beshaw seven times, according to Bram Kranichfeld, Chief Deputy Chittenden County State's Attorney.



Beshaw was pronounced dead at the scene.



But Palmier will not face criminal charges. The State ruled his actions qualified as justified use of self defense of a police officer.



The Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy, who lives in Winooski, was on the way home from working a shift in Fairfax.



"He pulled over and asked officer David, the Winooski officers, if they needed any assistance, officer David indicated that they did," says Kranichfeld.



From Palmier's body cam footage you can see Beshaw stop just past the fence about 90 feet from Palmier.

Palmier immediately drops his radio, draws his firearm and aims it at Beshaw, threatening to unload.

"I will shoot you, I will shoot you," Palmier yells.

With his right hand behind his back Beshaw charges Palmier, challenging him to shoot.

"What's up? Do it, do it," Beshaw yells.

Palmier yells at Beshaw to "Step back” before firing within 10 feet from Beshaw.



Officers, including Palmier, immediately call for emergency medical aid.



"In Vermont an officer may use reasonable force to make an arrest or maintain sufficient control of a suspect in custody or to prevent the suspect from harming himself, the officers, or others," says Kranichfeld.

On Thursday, officials revealed Palmier was carrying a taser on him at the time of the shooting.

Beshaw did not have a gun on him, but Palmier and fellow officers had reason to believe he did.



Based on an active arrest warrant for burglary, Beshaw was known to carry a Black Powder gun, similar to the one used in a string of recent bank robberies.



The robbery investigation remains open.



"But through that investigation we were given Jesse Beshaw as a possible suspect," says Winooski Police Chief, Rick Hebert.



We did some digging and found that the Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy was previously dismissed by the Winooski Police Department in 2010.



“The only information that is in that file is that then Chief McQueen had decided to end his probation five days prior to him becoming tenure,” says Herbert.



The file does indicated “failure to respond to training."



To protect the integrity of their investigation, state officials say they held onto the body cam footage until it was complete.



"During the pending of criminal investigation, we will not release body camera footage certainly as long as I'm State's Attorney,” says Chittenden County State's Attorney, T.J. Donovan.



This shooting marks the third deadly police shooting in Chittenden County in the last 10 months.



Deputy Palmier remains on on paid administrative leave.