Danbury Cop Who Shot Knife-Wielding Man, Killed Another in 2018

DANBURY, CT —The police officer who shot a man wielding two knives on Wednesday is the same policeman who shot and killed a man outside his Danbury home last December.

State police have identified Danbury Police Officer Alex Relyea as the cop who shot Aaron Bouffard following a two-hour manhunt last week.

Relyea also fatally shot Paul Arbitelle on Dec. 29. Like Bouffard, Arbitelle was carrying a knife that he refused to lay down after multiple requests by Relyea.

Officer Relyea has been placed upon administrative leave, according to the report just released by the Connecticut State Police.

The incident Wednesday began when officers responded to a report of a disturbance at the McDonough House at 38 Old Ridgebury Road, a treatment facility for those struggling with substance abuse. Bouffard was assaulting people at the facility, according to the State Police report.

When police officers encountered Bouffard near a recreational soccer field after a manhunt, he was walking towards them with the "butcher" knives still in hand, the report said.

"Despite all attempts made by officers to verbally deescalate the incident, the suspect continued to advance towards officers refusing to adhere to any directives given to lay down the knives. An officer on scene fired several rounds at Bouffard, striking him in the thigh, pelvis area and finger," according to the State Police report.

Medical aid was rendered immediately on scene and Bouffard was transported to Danbury Hospital and later transferred to Yale New Haven Hospital where he currently remains for further evaluation.

In the December incident, officers attempted to deploy a Taser which proved to be ineffective at controlling Arbitelle, who was also shot three times by Relyea. Investigators submitted their findings to State's Attorney on May 10, and state police have not yet completed their report on that incident.

Officer Alex Relyea has been a police officer in Danbury since August 2014. He has received multiple commendations, including a Meritorious Citation in 2015 for arresting three juveniles involved in numerous burglaries, a Letter of Appreciation for going "above and beyond" with patrol checks at Tarrywile Park due to suspicious activity that resulted in two prostitution arrests, and a Unit Citation in 2017 for his actions resulting in the arrest of a man who had been threatening several people with a loaded firearm.