Suffield Police Officer Cleared in Fatal Shooting Case

SUFFIELD, CT — An independent external investigation into an officer-involved shooting in Suffield in April has concluded the policeman acted justifiably in using deadly physical force against the suspect.

A report by Peter A. McShane, State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Middlesex, was released Thursday regarding the shooting death of Thomas N. Gezotis, Jr., 56, of West Springfield, Mass.

According to the report's incident summary, on April 13, 2017, around 11:50 a.m., members of the Suffield Police Department responded to a complaint involving a motor vehicle reported stolen from West Springfield earlier that day. The vehicle’s owner had utilized a cellular telephone application to determine the location of the vehicle, which was found parked unoccupied outside the Shamrock Café at 117 East Street South in Suffield.

In the course of the police response, Gezotis was shot in the street about two-tenths of a mile from the bar by Suffield police officer Richard Devin.

The report gives full details of the incident, beginning when police confirmed the vehicle in the cafe parking lot was indeed the one stolen earlier in Massachusetts.

At 12:08 p.m., a stakeout of the site was initiated by Police Chief Richard Brown, a lieutenant and two officers, in addition to Devin. At about 12:34 p.m., an Ace Transportation taxi minivan arrived and departed shortly thereafter by the café’s front entrance.

Lt. Ryan Burrell instructed Devin to perform a traffic stop of the taxi, which was proceeding north on Route 159. The vehicle pulled over less than a quarter-mile from the cafe, and the driver told Devin he had just picked up a man at the cafe. Devin saw a passenger in the rear seat and asked the man his name, to which Gezotis replied, "Tom."

Devin told investigators he ordered Gezotis to exit the taxi and to keep his hands up and in plain sight. Gezotis exited the minivan via the rear passenger side sliding door with his hands up, and Devin continued to walk around the rear and then to the right rear corner of the vehicle. Devin described Gezotis’ facial appearance as "strange and almost crazed."

Suddenly, Gezotis dropped his hands and with one hand pulled up his untucked shirt, and with the other hand began to reach for the butt of a black pistol sticking out of his waistband. The suspect displayed and pointed the weapon at Devin and continued advancing toward him.

Fearing for his own safety and that of passing motorists, Devin drew his weapon while backing up around the rear portion of the minivan, retreating in a westerly direction in an effort to find cover. Gezotis continued toward Devin with the weapon raised and pointed at the officer, not saying anything. Devin repeated several times for Gezotis to “drop it” as he continued retreating westerly and now on the pavement.

As Gezotis continued toward Devin, the officer observed the suspect's gun hand move quickly up and down as if the gun was recoiling as a result of it firing at him. Devin then began discharging his service weapon, believing that Gezotis was firing at him. He continued firing until Gezotis dropped to the ground.

Gezotis was treated at the scene by police and ambulance personnel, then transported to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, where he was pronounced dead around 1:34 p.m.

An autopsy at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner the following day reported Gezotis died from multiple gunshot wounds to the left mid-forehead and extremities.

The weapon brandished by Gezotis was found to be a Crossman Vigilante .177-caliber 4.5-mm airsoft gun, black, revolver style, with a pressurized CO2 canister within the grip, which strongly resembles a large caliber handgun, according to the report.

At the time of the stakeout, Suffield police were not aware of a bank robbery that had occurred in Enfield late that morning, during which a weapon was not displayed, but the perpetrator made motions that he had one underneath his shirt. Gezotis was later identified by police via photos and evidence found inside the stolen vehicle, and on his person, as the bank robber.

Additional interviews by police with associates of Gezotis revealed he had recently stated he would be returning to prison for crimes he recently committed, that he was going to rob a bank and that he would not be taken alive. Additionally, Gezotis reportedly stated he would go out in a blaze of glory, was a heroin user and would kill himself if he had to.

Gezotis was additionally suspected by police of a commercial burglary on April 4, 2017, and an armed robbery at a Dunkin' Donuts the next day.

The investigative report by McShane concluded, "The State’s Attorney finds that based on the facts in this case Suffield Police Officer Richard Devin was justified under Connecticut General Statutes Section 53a-22(c) in using deadly physical force upon another person, that being Thomas N. Gezotis, Jr. Officer Devin was justified based upon his reasonable belief that the use of deadly physical force was necessary to defend himself and others around him: specifically, that Devin began retreating upon seeing Gezotis’ weapon that closely resembled a large handgun, pointing and recoiling at him.

Hence, this State’s Attorney determines, that the use of deadly force was appropriate under Connecticut General Statutes Section 51-277(a), and that no further action will be taken by the Division of Criminal Justice as a result of this incident."

Brown told Patch, "We are pleased with the findings of the independent investigation. This serves as an illustration of how split-second decisions are forced to be made by officers, for their safety and the safety of the public."

Devin had been on administrative leave since the shooting.

"With the release of these findings, Officer Devin will be returning to active service immediately so that he may continue to serve the community of Suffield," Brown said.

Photo credit: Suffield Police Department