BOYLSTON — A special prosecutor’s report released Dec. 3 by the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office concludes that Rutland Police Officer Justin Lawlor acted lawfully and reasonably in self-defense when he fatally shot 25-year-old Patrick Sargent last March in Boylston.
According to the report, at about 9:02 a.m. on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, a Boylston police dispatcher received a 911 call from an individual at the residence requesting assistance because Sargent “was a threat to us” and had said, “I will kill people until I am in the electric chair.” The caller reported that Sargent was “off the wall,” that others in the home had retreated to another room for safety, and that they did not know whether he had a weapon.
When Chief John Annunziata and other officers arrived on scene, an individual at the residence met with officers outside and said, “I told you that he was going to kill someone. He has a knife. He needs to get out.” The individual said several other people were still inside the house. The individual informed police that Patrick had a knife and that the night before, he had been stabbing the bedroom wall. The individual stated they were in fear and that Sargent had threatened them before.
Police then entered the kitchen area of the residence.
“Patrick saw them, went into his bedroom and slammed the door,” the report states. “The bedroom is located right off the living room area. Having been informed that Patrick had a knife, Chief Annunziata had his service weapon drawn and was telling him to come out of the bedroom. Patrick yelled that, ‘John, you pointed a gun at me,’ and refused to open the bedroom door and come out.”
According to the report, Chief Annunziata stated that he had numerous past interactions with Sargent and generally had a positive relationship with him. He said that during a prior incident he had been able to talk Sargent down to a calm state.
“Patrick remained behind the closed door to the bedroom until 9:21 a.m., when [an individual] alerted police that Patrick exited out the bedroom window, pushed him, assaulted [him], and ran away in the direction of the yard area,” the report states. “[The individual] told Sergeant [Cody] Thomasian that [he] did not know if Patrick had a knife.”
Sergeant Thomasian then radioed dispatch and requested mutual aid K-9 and a drone unit.
For approximately 30 minutes, officers searched the yard, the adjacent wooded area, and several nearby residences, during this time, an individual at the residence showed Sergeant Thomasian a contemporaneous text message on their cell phone from Sargent stating, “They are going to have to give me a Glock.”
Just before 10:00 a.m., Sargent reentered the residence through the rear door. According to the report, after entering the home, Sargent went into a bedroom off the living room area and slammed the door closed.
“Chief Annunziata, Berlin Police Officer Jacob Brescia and Boylston Police Officer Jared Piche entered the living room area and yelled for Patrick to come out,” the report states. “Patrick briefly opened the bedroom door and screamed at officers who were less than 10 feet away.”
At this time, the report states, Chief Annunziata had his service weapon drawn and Boylston Police Officer Piche had his taser drawn.
“Patrick was screaming ‘Why the f*ck are you in my house? I didn’t invite you. Why are you destroying my property?'” the report says, adding that he yelled “f*ck you John” to Chief Annunziata several times.
“Chief Annunziata thought that Patrick’s voice, threats and demeanor was unlike [anything] the chief had previously encountered,” the report states. In the report, Chief Annunziata said, “It did not sound like the Patrick that I knew.”
According to the report, Chief Annunziata intentionally lowered his voice in an effort to de-escalate the situation. Sargent continued shouting that police had “destroyed his house” and that he would “press charges.” During this time, an individual at the scene received a contemporaneous text message from Sargent stating, “A Glock is going to get me today.”
As Sargent remained barricaded in the bedroom, Chief Annunziata was uncertain whether anyone else was still inside the residence.
“The chief requested Sergeant Thomasian call for a mutual aid agency negotiator. Sergeant Thomasian asked the Chief if he wanted a K-9 brought in and chief said yes. The chief did not wait for a negotiator,” the report states. “The chief remained uncertain whether Patrick was alone in his bedroom or if others were being held hostage. The chief stated that he wanted the K-9 because dealing with Patrick this time was unlike any time previously. The chief yelled for Patrick to ‘Come out or we will send the dog in.’ Patrick screamed, ‘F*ck you. I will kill your dog.'”
K-9 Deployment and Use of Force
After hearing a radio transmission from Sergeant Thomasian instructing him to “get the dog in,” Rutland Police K-9 Officer Justin Lawlor, who was in the driveway with K-9 Storm, a German Shepherd, entered the living room.
“Officer Lawlor had put a protective vest on the dog,” the report states. “Patrick was screaming and opening and closing the bedroom door. Officer Lawlor did not communicate with the chief as the situation was happening too quickly. Officer Lawlor did not know Patrick, nor did he know the house layout. He had no previous interactions with Patrick. The only information that Officer Lawlor had at that time was from Sergeant Thomasian-that Patrick was known for having knives, keeps knives in his room, that he threatened to kill his parents, and that he had earlier fled out his bedroom window. Officer Lawlor and K-9 Storm had last trained for certification in June, 2023 at the Boston Police Canine Academy and that a dog barking technique is utilized to bring a person out from a secluded room to surrender.”
According to the report, as Sargent continued to scream at officers from behind the bedroom door, Officer Lawlor commanded in German for the K-9 to bark-loud, clear, distinct barks.
“The K-9 ceased barking when commanded to do so. Officer Lawlor yelled, ‘Police with a K-9. Come out now or the dog will come in and bite you,'” the report states. Sargent then allegedly screamed, “I will kill you with the same caliber that they killed your buddy with, John. I will kill you. I will kill that dog. I will kill all of you.”
Officer Lawlor yelled, “Come out now or you will be bit.” After waiting a few seconds, he pushed the bedroom door open. The door swung inward, and Sargent immediately slammed it shut.
“Officer Lawlor kicked the door open and released the dog into the bedroom with a bite (seize) command. Patrick was behind the door,” the report states.
According to the report, Officer Lawlor observed the K-9 Storm turn and raise its front paws, followed by Sargent making a downward stabbing motion toward the dog’s left side.
“Officer Lawlor saw the dog wince and start to back up further into the room,” the report states. “Officer Lawlor saw Patrick’s stabbing motions 5 to 6 times directly down the dog’s torso. Officer Lawlor entered the room and got between Patrick and the dog. With limited space in the doorway, Chief Annunziata could not get into the room. Officer Lawlor was off balance near the bed. Chief Annunziata thought that Patrick was going to kill the K-9 and Officer Lawlor. They were eight inches apart.”
The report states that Officer Lawlor saw Sargent holding a knife in his raised right hand. Officer Lawlor grabbed Sargent’s right wrist with his left hand. Sargent swung the knife from left to right, passing about two inches from Lawlor’s face. Lawlor leaned back as Sargent swung again, this time from right to left, also within two inches of his face.
“Falling backwards and thinking that Patrick was trying to kill him, Officer Lawlor drew his firearm and fired 5 times from 1 foot away while falling backwards onto the bed,” the report states. “The chief did not have clear shot and did not discharge his firearm. Patrick slumped into the doorway with the K-9 leash under him. Officer Lawlor grabbed a knife from between Patrick’s legs on the floor and tossed it to a wall behind the bed. Lawlor got the dog clear and removed him from the room.”
EMS then evaluated Sargent at the scene.
“Patrick was unresponsive with no pulse and eventually transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center, arriving at 10:39 a.m. Patrick was pronounced dead by emergency room personnel at the hospital,” the report states. “Officer Lawlor surrendered his firearm to Sergeant Thomasian and removed the K-9 to his police cruiser. He observed sliced marks in the dog’s vest and a cut in front of the dog’s right eye.”
Autopsy Findings
The autopsy, performed by Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, concluded that the shooting was a homicide resulting from multiple gunshot wounds. Dr. Scordi-Bello said Sargent was shot five times — in the back of the head, with the bullet exiting through his left cheek; in the right side of his neck, exiting through his chin; in the right side of his chest; in his right arm, with the bullet exiting the front of the arm; and in his left arm, with an exit wound near his elbow.
A bullet and several fragments were recovered during the autopsy. Toxicology reports showed Sargent had cannabis and THC in his system.
“Ballistics evidence reflects that Officer Lawlor discharged his department issued 9mm Luger Glock model 17 Gen 5 semi-automatic pistol,” the report states. Later adding, “The knife recovered from the bedroom had a black handle and was 12 inches long with a blade length of 6 ½ inches and blade width of 1 ½ inches at its widest point.”
The report added that K-9 Storm was treated at the Veterinary Emergency Group in Shrewsbury for a 1-centimeter wound that required a single stitch.
Department policy and legal precedent applied to the incident
The report explains that all responding departments were operating under the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (CEMLEC) Mutual Aid Agreement, last amended in February 2024. Under this agreement, officers who respond to another community on a mutual-aid call are temporarily granted the full police powers of the municipality requesting assistance, meaning they may act as officers of that jurisdiction for the duration of the incident.
According to the report, officers from assisting agencies are placed under the direct command of the requesting agency’s chief, in this case, Boylston Police Chief John Annunziata. This structure ensures that all personnel from multiple departments—Boylston, Rutland, Auburn, Berlin, Webster, Uxbridge, and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office—operate under a unified chain of command. The report notes, however, that the “agreement does not set forth policies concerning the use of deadly force or de-escalation.”
According to the report, the Boylston Police Department’s Use of Force policy, updated in June 2023, authorizes officers to use deadly force only in accordance with applicable state and federal law and only to protect themselves or others from an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. The policy states that, when feasible, officers should issue a clear verbal warning before using force. It also requires officers to employ de-escalation techniques whenever possible so that more time, options, and resources are available to gain voluntary compliance and avoid the need for force. These measures may include verbal persuasion, warnings, slowing the pace of the encounter, maintaining distance, or requesting additional support such as mental health professionals. The policy emphasizes that officers should not resort to deadly force unless de-escalation tactics have been attempted and failed, or unless such tactics are not feasible given the circumstances.
The report also summarizes the Rutland Police Department’s Use of Force policy, updated in March 2023, which contains similar language. Rutland’s policy states that “an officer is authorized to use lethal force only when it is reasonable to defend himself from an unlawful attack which he reasonably perceives as an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury.” The policy outlines steps for de-escalation when interacting with an emotionally disturbed or mentally ill individual, advising officers to adopt a quiet, non-threatening “manner” and avoid actions that could cause additional fear, stress, or aggression. The guidance further states that officers should reassure individuals that police are there to help and should take care not to escalate the situation unnecessarily.
The report then turns to its legal analysis, contained in the “Legal Standard” section, which examines whether Officer Justin Lawlor’s use of deadly force was objectively reasonable under the law. It outlines the relevant statutes, constitutional standards, and case law that define how police may respond to violent threats.
The analysis begins with federal precedent. In Graham v. Connor, the U.S. Supreme Court stated that “the reasonableness of a particular use of force must be judged from the prospective of a reasonable officer at the scene, rather than the 20/20 vision of hindsight.” The court added that, “The calculus of reasonableness must embody allowance for the fact police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in circumstances that are tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving about the amount of force that is necessary in a particular situation.”
The report also cites Plumhoff v. Rickard, which stated, “if police officers are justified in firing at a suspect in order to end a severe threat to public safety, officers need not stop shooting until the threat has ended.”
The report then references the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in Commonwealth v. Asher, which held that police officers have a duty to protect other officers and the public at large, and that retreat is not a viable option for an officer when faced with a potential threat of violence.
Special prosecutor’s findings and conclusions
In its “conclusions” section, the report states that, based on what Officer Lawlor knew “at the time of the incident and the law regarding use of deadly force, the evidence reflects that Patrick initiated a violent attack by a knife on the K-9 and then Officer Lawlor after an attempt for his peaceful surrender,” in the bedroom.
“Officer Lawlor was in a vulnerable position in close quarters in the bedroom,” the report states. “Attempting to prevent the K-9 from being stabbed and falling backward onto the bed, Officer Lawlor was justified in firing to protect himself, especially after Patrick attempted to stab him in the face and throat, missing by inches.” The report’s conclusion goes on to say that Officer Lawlor’s actions were in response to “the immediate threat of death or serious injury to himself, other officers, and the K-9.”
The report states that Officer Lawlor believed Sargent was armed and threatening others, noting that he “himself heard Patrick yell that he would kill the dog.” According to the Special Prosecutor, “Under the circumstances, the use of deadly force was a lawful and reasonable exercise of self-defense and defense of others,” and Officer Lawlor “acted in self-defense and in defense of police officers attempting to get into the bedroom to assist him.”
The report also explains that although the law requires officers to attempt de-escalation when feasible, Officer Lawlor “was not informed of Patrick’s history with the chief or medication issues or Patrick’s mental distress,” and therefore entered the situation “without the benefit of knowing if de-escalation techniques had been exhausted or were available.”
The report goes on to say that the introduction of a K-9 “into this scenario was contrary to generally accepted de-escalation techniques, but Officer Lawlor proceeded without any background or further information.”
Overall, the report found that Officer Lawlor’s actions “were reasonable analyzing the totality of the brief circumstances of which Officer Lawlor was involved and the lack of information available to him prior to shooting,” and concludes that “there were no violations of a criminal offense and charges are not warranted.”
Boylston Police Department’s response
After the report was released, the Boylston Police Department issued its own statement, dated Dec. 3, titled “Release of Special Prosecutors Report.” In it, the department notes that the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office released the report “without any accompanying press release or summarization of the report itself.”
“Without this, readers are left only with graphic detail that does not reflect an appropriate balance between openness and sensitivity,” the statement says.
The department wrote that the release “could have been an opportunity to provide information in a way that supports a grieving community and promotes healing,” but instead, “the manner in which the report was released risks retraumatizing community members who have already endured so much as a result of this tragic event.”
The statement notes that since the release of the report, “several media outlets have provided coverage” that summarizes the report without reproducing all the graphic details and invites residents to contact the department directly with questions. The department’s statement concludes by saying the Boylston Police Department “remains committed to sharing accurate information while showing compassion to a community that continues to heal.”
