Vermont Trooper Cleared in Fatal Shooting of Man During Mental Health Crisis

Upon entering the premises police encountered Garvey who was reportedly barricaded inside and unresponsive to their commands to show his hands.

After nearly a year of investigation, the Vermont Attorney General's office has determined that Trooper Peter Romeo was justified in the fatal shooting of Scott Garvey, 55, during an incident on July 7, 2025. The findings indicate that Garvey, who was not armed with a gun but was holding a long, hollow metal pipe, posed an imminent threat, leading to the use of deadly force.

In a detailed report released on Tuesday, Attorney General Charity Clark described the events leading to the shooting, which began with multiple crisis calls made by Garvey before police arrived at his apartment in Putney. Upon entering the premises, police encountered Garvey, who was reportedly barricaded inside and unresponsive to their commands to show his hands. According to the attorney general, Garvey’s actions and refusal to drop the item he was holding prompted Trooper Romeo to fire, as he believed Garvey was wielding a firearm.

Despite the finding of justification, Garvey’s family expressed disappointment with the outcome of the investigation. Shawn Garvey, his brother, articulated that the family feels the report essentially shifted blame onto Scott for his death, expressing skepticism regarding police protocol in such situations. He highlighted a lack of adherence to de-escalation tactics by the officers involved and emphasized the family's desire for reforms to prevent similar incidents.

Scott Garvey lived with a history of mental illness, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and had recently relocated to Vermont from Memphis, Tennessee, to be closer to family for better mental health support. The family has maintained that the situation could have been handled differently and has called for enhanced training for law enforcement in managing mental health crises. Following the incident, they have engaged a Los Angeles law firm to pursue legal action against the state.

Notably, both the Vermont Attorney General and the Washington County State's Attorney's office reviewed the case. Their conclusions affirmed that Trooper Romeo's actions were warranted given the context and Garvey's behavior during the encounter. The investigation included input from an independent use-of-force expert who assessed the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Despite their advocacy, recent legislative efforts by Scott Garvey's family to establish better mental health protocols for police were unsuccessful in the Vermont Statehouse. As they continue to seek reform, family members have voiced the urgency of addressing these issues, emphasizing that their fight extends beyond their own loss to benefit other families facing similar tragedies.

Trooper Romeo, who had been on administrative leave following the incident, is now back on full duty at the Vermont State Police after the Attorney General's ruling.